Local farmers offer organic alternatives

It was only several years ago that the organic and natural food movement was gaining momentum as consumers fought retailers to carry food products that contained no synthetic materials. Now, organic foods sit plentifully on grocer's shelves.

Publix Supermarkets saw the potential for an increase of profitability in this market when they launched their new concept all-natural stores across Florida named "GreenWise Market" in 2007. But is this healthy attribute to your diet worth the extra cost?

"The small additional cost is worth the long term benefits," said Caitlin Araldi, a senior Spanish major, who began her all-organic diet in 2007 when she started at UCF. "My mother always instilled an appreciation for the natural goodness of food. So when I began grocery shopping on my own, I thought, why wouldn't I capitalize on what is already wholesome in nature?"

Take a closer look at the organic food labels. "USDA Certified Organic Carrots: Harvested in California," reads a label found in the Publix produce section. California is located nearly 3,000 miles away from where the carrot is now being sold.

"The second you pick something from the ground it starts to die," said Summer Singletary, a senior environmental studies major and local food activist. "Think about how long that carrot had to travel before it even reached the store."

"Local foods provide more nutrients because they are fresher, plus, they are just so much more delicious," Singeltary said.

In addition to the fresh factor, local food activists also argue that local foods make more sense from an environmentally sustainable standpoint. "Reducing the transportation of food results in less depletion of the atmosphere due to less carbon emissions," said Singletary.

Although the subtropical summer months in Florida provides difficult conditions to grow, the approaching fall season produces some of the most fruitful harvests.

"Fall and spring seasons are great because I rarely need to go to the grocery store," said Singletary, who says she picks all of her produce herself.

As an active volunteer of the UCF Arboretum, Singeltary is able to pick fresh produce from the garden.

The UCF Arboretum is a community garden where students can volunteer their time in exchange for a "mindful" amount of free and locally grown organic produce.

In addition, local weekend farmers markets have made local food more accessible.

Several farmers markets exist in the greater Orlando area, including the Lake Eola Farmers Market, which is downtown every Sunday in Lake Eola Park.

For the farmers who harvest the goods to fill the stands of the farmer's markets, it is entirely part of their day-to-day lifestyle.

"My day begins at 4:30 a.m., that's when I get most of the heavy work done because the sun is not up yet," said Thomas Carey, who owns a little over two-thirds of an acre of land specifically devoted to gardening and harvesting edible produce.

Nestled next to his Oviedo residence of nearly 30 years, Sundew Gardens allows those enrolled in the Harvest Garden Society to pick all the produce they can handle for $20 a month. The cost of enrollment also covers gardening classes taught by Carey that show people how to properly pick from a garden.

"Some of the things you will find in my garden you just wont find in the store," said Carey, whose harvest consists of crops indigenous to Central Florida, including some lesser-known produce items such as the Seminole pumpkin (a squash native to Florida) and heirloom honey bell oranges.

Local food activists believe that the main issue stems down to one thing: accountability.

"There's a certain accountability that comes from a face-to-face interaction with the person who is growing your food," said Singletary. "We need awareness. Students need to see how accessible, delicious, and inexpensive a diet of local food can be."

You  can see the price difference between buying food at the grocery store  and buying locally  in one simple dish. For an example,  making a spinach and goat cheese omelette with free range eggs, goat cheese, New Zealand spinach and garlic with local ingredients would save you money without compromising the quality of ingredients.  Local prices for eggs and goat cheese go for $4.50/dozen, $8.99/lb. Volunteering at the arboretum would give you the spinach and garlic for free.

In a grocery store, it would cost you $5/dozen for eggs, $11.99/lb for goat cheese, $3.95 for spinach and $3.50/lb for garlic.  

For more information on volunteering at the UCF Arboretum, please contact them at (407) 823-2762 or visit their website at arboretum.ucf.edu. The garden plans to host a fall plant sale of vegetables and herbs on October 16-17.

For  information on Sundew Gardens or enrolling in the Harvest Garden Society, please contact Thomas Carey at sundewgardens@gmail.com.