Not that you would be able to tell by my ever-increasing blobular form, but I'm a bit of a health nut. My latest obsession has resulted in a series of freak outs about the pollutants, pesticides, growth-hormones, GMOs, etc. in our food and water supply. In these parts, it's difficult to find a local grocery store that carries a variety of organic food-stuffs and doesn't require an appendage and your first-born child as payment. I suppose I could drive to the city to the nearest reasonably priced health food store, but wouldn't traveling in the Jeep for an hour spewing unnecessary pollutants out the tailpipe and into the atmosphere sort of defeat the purpose?
Two steps forward, two steps back. Might as well just eat the steak from the two-headed calf at that point.
Enter the local Whole Life Buying Club.
For $50 every two weeks, our fearless leader (let's call her Jen) travels to the city and picks up our giant bags of organic produce from the local
Urban Organics group. She brings the orders back to town and we converge on a central spot to retrieve our reusable grocery bags full of goodness. The list of available fruits and veggies changes with the season and you can, for an additional fee, add in an extra veggie or fruit "share".
This is my second pickup and I am once again extremely pleased with my haul.
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The odd plum-shaped fruits between the pears and the red onions are called pluots.
And for some reason I got one beet. What does one do with a single beet?? |
This time Jen also added a bread order from a local bakery that specializes in organic, non-GMO products, and extra bunches of basil from a local grower ($1 a bunch!! What a bargain! Pesto for everyone!! YAY!). So in the picture, there are two loaves of bread and an extra handful of basil that wouldn't normally be in the regular $50 share but it's still a fantastic deal.
I busted into the bread this morning. It was a little slice of honey whole-wheat heaven. I also ate my first organic pluot. Yeah, that was my question, too; What the hell's a pluot? Whatever it was, it was
delicious.
The more people who buy organic, the cheaper it'll get. The cheaper it gets, the more available it will become. The more available it becomes the more people will buy it. Keep at it.
ReplyDeleteMartin - Let's hope so. Next year though, I plan to have my own garden and be able to raise some of these items myself.
ReplyDeleteHolly, this is a fantastic idea! What a great way to stock up on some good stuff. And I commend you for planning a garden of your own, that is not something I could undertake. No green thumb, you see.
ReplyDeleteAnd once again, can I tell you how happy your visits to my blog make me? LOVE the image of you trying to throw a tantrum only to end up wounding yourself. We are birds of a feather, I think. ;)
Why do I always leave your blog feeling delighted and excited, but also like a total lazy douchebag? Don't answer that...
ReplyDeleteI couldn't grow a garden, not only because I live in an apartment, but because I don't like dirt...or bugs. But I fully support you! Can't wait to come over next weekend!
ReplyDeletei would not be able to eat all that and it would most likely go bad
ReplyDeleteThat's such a great idea - thank goodness for Jen!
ReplyDeleteHolly! How can I reply to you directly when you leave awesome amazing stories over at my place about Olympic gymnastics? That was the best thing I have read ever and it made me laugh out loud, which I so needed today. Link your email to your profile so I can immediately respond with a virtual hug when you crack me up!
ReplyDeleteHolly, do this, please, please so I can respond to your awesomeness:
ReplyDeletehttp://asimplyklassichome.blogspot.com/2011/06/blog-tip-how-to-activate-comment.html
I am eating more fruits and veggies in order to polish it off before it starts to get slimey. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, as long as I'm not battering and deep frying them.
ReplyDeleteFound out what to do with a single beet. Leave it on the table to contemplate, then come home to mangled bits of beet and pink beet blood all over the floor where the dog had strewn it in a frenzy of root-vegetable inspired hatred.
I couldn't even scold him because he had pink beet stain all around his mouth that made him look like he was wearing lipstick.