tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128777869439637538.post9150085923987965292..comments2023-03-21T11:46:49.904-04:00Comments on FARMBEDDED: EATING HAS NEVER SEEMED SO COMPLICATEDAbout the Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10324973747852132515noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128777869439637538.post-63895785100257096242008-05-01T14:58:00.000-04:002008-05-01T14:58:00.000-04:00Thank you both for your thoughts on all this. A fe...Thank you both for your thoughts on all this. A few thoughts on your thoughts:<BR/><BR/>-One thing that always crosses my mind whenever I pay an extra dollar or two for something organic at Whole Foods is whether what I'm getting is actually any better for me or grown more healthily. I read something somewhere recently in which a farmer said that what he's selling his organic customers is really just a good feeling. (I don't want a good feeling, I want good food.) And at least according to Michael Pollan, a lot of the organic food you buy at Whole Foods is little better in the way it's raised or grown than foods you can buy from big, regular old supermarkets.<BR/><BR/>-A few years ago when I still lived at home, my mother bought a half side of beef from a local farmer because it seemed like a good thing to do. We even bought a new deep freezer. But after one year, the novelty wore off and the Fleshers went back to buying one steak at a time. Part of the problem was that with a side of beef, we paid for a lot of cuts we didn't want, like liver. Do you think the same thing could happen with your CSA enthusiasm? After a year of getting strange varieties of radishes you can't for the life of you figure out how to use, do you think you might have second thoughts about the CSA and its cost?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128777869439637538.post-50458479667136373932008-04-28T17:12:00.000-04:002008-04-28T17:12:00.000-04:00*But note that our food budget, even during the ti...*But note that our food budget, even during the time of Safeway, was $5200 a year. $800 is a lot of money, but food in general is a lot of money.Danihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18008658178172223267noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128777869439637538.post-10501270723711692322008-04-28T16:56:00.000-04:002008-04-28T16:56:00.000-04:00I hear you, Jared. I'm still struggling with makin...I hear you, Jared. I'm still struggling with making better eating choices. Since Chris and I started obtaining food via the CSA, the farmer's market, and Whole Foods, our grocery bills have increased ~33%. This pains a lifelong skinflint like myself. <BR/><BR/>But even in the weeks when we've spent $120+ on food, I know I can't go back to shopping at Safeway (where we routinely fed ourselves for a week on <$90). Once you've convinced yourself that you are doing the Good thing, it's hard to slip back to Cheap and Easy. (Just think how hard it is to throw a glass container in the trash can instead of the recycle bin.) Guilt makes a terrible sauce. <BR/><BR/>And for the sake of accuracy, membership in our CSA costs ~$800 per year.Danihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18008658178172223267noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128777869439637538.post-50645296136824471132008-04-28T02:06:00.000-04:002008-04-28T02:06:00.000-04:00One thing to consider would be eating less meat .....One thing to consider would be eating less meat ... and then when you do eat meat, buy only the Good (locally grown, organic) stuff. This would have two health benefits: the health benefit you mentioned from eating this Better meat, PLUS I'm under the impression that we would have better health in the long term (perhaps less risk of cancer) if we ate less meat altogether. <BR/><BR/>And I don't think CSAs cost that much. Dani and I joined one for much less than that (although it was halfway through the season). I'd look into it if I were you. I love our CSA. And if it's too expensive to do on your own, see about splitting it with a roommate!Chrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00899003365722166279noreply@blogger.com