How to Be Organic on a Budget, an article on Giam.com is a great guide to  help you get started on buying organic foods and products.  I just went through the list to see how I am doing and so far, pretty good.  The list is  great way to help you get started and also a good way to check your progress and maintain what you are doing.

On the list, the two things that I agree with most are the #1. Buy direct from the farm, #6. Learn your labels, and #7. Learn what to buy organic and what to not buy organic, and #12. Don’t be a slave to the word “organic”.

The reason these stuck out to me the most is because by buying your food directly from a farm you can have more control as to what your buying.  You have access to the farmer and can ask him/her how they control pests and about their growing methods.  If you don’t agree, go some where else.  Also, buying from a farm means you get lower prices, the freshest in-season fruits and veggies, and most importantly, you help support agriculture in your area.

Learning your labels is also very important.  Make sure you are spending your money wisely and actually buying fresh, organic food.  Labels can be misleading and lots of companies are trying to ride the organic wave.  Be informed, it’s important!

Learning what food to buy organic is also important.  Obviously, if you could buy all organic food that would be best, but that isn’t always the case.  Many of us are on a budget and we want to make sure we spend our dollars effectively.  That being the case, read up on what fruits and veggies are loaded with pesticides and stick to organics for those.

Lastly, don’t be a slave the the term “organic”.  This is really important because there is really great food out there that is grown organically but doesn’t have the money to have the organic label.  This is especially true with farmer’s markets.  Being labeled organic by the USDA is a hefty process, requiring lots of time and money.  Many small, family farms can’t afford to do that.  That doesn’t mean they aren’t organic and don’t let that keep you from buying.  Farmer’s markets are great because you can talk to the farmers and ask about growing practices and decide if it is worth spending your money on.  Also, these farms might be the best and most  environmentally friendly farms to support because they are local and have a smaller footprint than larger, organically certified farms from across the country.

I hope this information helps you navigate your way through the world of organic foods.  Let me know what you think about Giam’s list at How to Be Organic on a Budget, and which items speak to you.

Happy shopping!

If you haven’t gotten a chance to stop and really appreciate spring, here are some great pictures to help you get started.  If your in spring heaven already these are great to see how life is popping up all over the world.

Check out some more at Spring Photos – Spring Wildlife Photos – thedailygreen.com.

With spring right around the corner I can hardly wait for all the foliage to come back to life.  In my anticipation, I went to my local green house Creek Side Gardens this weekend and decided I would give my green thumb another try.

I have had many relationships with plants but they have always ended very badly, for the plant especially.  I had this notion that just because I was getting older I should just be able to grow plants in my apartment.  Boy, was I wrong.  Many have succumb to my green thumb, which I should really call black.

This time I have given up on the idea of just knowing how to garden and decided to read some books and study up on the kinds of plants I could introduce to my house without having to do too much work but still have the lovely company of my green friends.  I also decided that I want to be an organic gardener so have used Julie Bawden-Davis’ book,Indoor Gardening the Organic Way: How to Create a Natural and Sustaining Environment for Your Houseplants. The book is a great start to learning about the proper way to care for your plants.  I was also surprised to learn that organic gardening is actually cheaper and less intensive since you have nature working on your side.

Another reason I wanted to bring in house plants to my apartment is because I am allergic to my dog.  The pet dander gives me asthma and I was reading that plants can help purify your air- amazing!  Bawden-Davis also lists good air filtering plants, which include the Areca Palm, Boston Fern, Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’, English Ivy, Lady Palm, Peace Lily, Pothos, Rubber plant and Spider plant.

At Creek Side Gardens I found 6 plants to start off with and couldn’t be more excited.  While their selection was slim because of the time of year I think my new green friends are going to do great.  I even repotted 3 of my plants to make an arrangement within a nice decorative pot.  I am so excited to get started and next week I am going to go learn how to grow my own herbs.  I will let you know what I learn and if I am a successful gardener.

Miniature Pine Tree

Large Jade

Until then, check out this article, Container Gardening – How to Start a Container Garden and Window Boxes. This is full of great tips to get your indoor garden started.