This is a page from George Siemon's powerpoint presentation on Coorperatives and our Hope. Siemon, of CROPP Cooperative writes in the Organic Valley newsletter about how important co-ops are to ensuring that healthy, organic food gets to the market--CROPP (Cooperative Regions of Organic Produce Pools) is the largest organic cooperative with 900 farmers in 24 states producing dairy and meat products.
What I like about this pyramid is that it shows the national Organic Food Production Act (with that USDA Organic label we now look for) as the foundation--meaning the place to begin--in a journey of eating better for self and the planet. At the top of the pyramid is "Grow your own". Siemon encourages us to explore the continuum "each in our own way."
Looking for the organic label is a great place to start but if we are going to ensure the survival of our small and mid-size family farms we will have to encourage others to explore the continuum--work the pyramid. Now that we're in May and the trees are finally beginning to bud I want to encourage everyone to begin shopping our markets again--both the Ithaca Farmers' Market and the CNY Regional Market are open. While it may be too soon to fill your market basket with lush produce, it is the perfect time to pick up packs of seedlings of tomatoes, lettuces, onions, or anything thing else you want to stick in the ground or in a pot to get your home garden started. And, oh yes, if you buy that little pot of rosemary and tend it--you are growing you own.
So go on, work the pyramid.
Archive Alert: This date last year I was just starting the 2006 Eat Local Challenge.
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