ALMOST ORGANIC: When close is good enough

  Everyone has to set their own standards on what they will let pass their lips. And while some people have appallingly low standards (Vienna Sausage? Really?), I find that most people don't fall strictly into a certain "food camp."  Sure, there are the rare few who insist they won't eat anything non-organic, non-GMO free, non-local, etc., but for my family there quite a bit of middle ground. And in the world of organics, there is plenty of middle ground, mostly made up of farms that are pesticide free, and using sustainable practices but not necessarily certified organic. Don't fool yourself. Becoming certified is very difficult and extremely expensive. Smaller farms often don't have the money or manpower to become certified, but are often much closer to the idyllic picture we have in our heads when we think of organic farming than their grocery store brand, certified organic counterparts.
  We've all been there. You find yourself shopping in the local grocery store and pick up a box of organic granola with a picturesque farm on the front. You feel pretty good about your purchase, right? But the utopic daydreams we have when we buy a box of Cascadian Farm and their ilk are often misplaced. I'm sure Cascadian Farm is a lovely place, full of rainbows and unicorns, but it is also owned by General Mills.

Wait, what?

Yep.

So before you feel too warm and fuzzy about your organic granola dollars going towards the Cascadian Farms Bunny and Butterfly Garden Endowment Fund, you might want to think outside the box (no pun intended). There is big money in that little "USDA Organic" label, and the big companies are taking notice. You might be surprised to find out who owns your favorite organic brand (Google it if you don't believe me).  And more importantly, if you purchase foods based solely on that label then you are missing out on a whole slew of local options that are right under your nose. There are a great deal of local farms that are producing high quality "almost organic" foods within an hours drive of Raleigh. The "almost organic" farmers are using many of the same practices as the certified organic farmers, they just aren't getting certified.

Below I've listed some local farms that are producing products that while perhaps not certified organic, are in my mind, close enough. I've also listed some certified organic farms. One of the benefits of buying locally is that if you are ever in doubt, most of these places allow farm tours. You can see where your food comes from, ask questions, and truly feel good about where your money is going. And visiting a farm can be a fun family outing, especially if they have animals. The appeal  of chickens and goats to a 2 year old is really amazing.

Contrarian Farms - Pittsboro, NC
Fox Hollow Farms- Apex, NC
Hilltop Farms - Willow Spring, NC
Old Millburnie Farm - Raleigh NC
Double T Farm - Garner, NC
Ray Family Farms - Louisburg, NC
Stone Wall Plantation - Raleigh ,NC
Btown Farm - Durham, NC
Bull City Farm - Bahama, NC
Vollmer Farm - Bunn, NC
Let It Grow Farm - Selma, NC
Possum Spring Farm - Wendell, NC

This is by no means a comprehensive list. Visit www.localharvest.org for full descriptions and more local farms. I will be trying to visit some of these in the upcoming months (bold farms are ones I have already been to and can give a stamp of approval).