Unless you are getting your food from your own yard or a noble local farmer CSA or weekly basket program, or even the local farmers market, then you probably have no idea that those grapes you bought at the grocery most likely came from Argentina and quite possibly have been sprayed with uncontrolled pesticides and fertilizers.
While I cannot say I totally know where all of my food comes from, I do know this, the food that I grow in my yard is safe to eat, totally organic, and will not cause me to get sick, or to die for that matter.
Got sprouts? Better watch out if you bought them from the grocery!
Got green onions? Better watch out of you bought them from the grocery!
Got packaged/bagged/processed lettuce? Better watch out of you bought them from the grocery!
Got apples? Better watch out of you bought them from the grocery!
While it is typically safe from a statistical point of view to eat all of the foods I mentioned above, at some time in the recent past (2-3 years) each one of those food items has been linked to foodborne illness outbreaks in the US or European markets. Individuals have become sick, and still some have actually died for eating these contaminated food items.
Here are a few snapshots of our home garden.
The basil in full glory including purple, Greek, common, and Thai basil
Raised bed of basil in the front yard
The spearmint patch along with some oregano too
Spearmint and oregano bed in front yard
The pansies in full bloom, with some chives and aloe in small pots too
Pansies in the front yard
Chew On This!
MBA Healthcare Management and Aria Cahill have produced the infographic below which covers food borne illness and gives several ways to prevent getting sick by cooking and prepping food more safely.
2 responses so far ↓
1 Ed Schenk // Aug 9, 2013 at 12:48 pm
Excellent post!!
I always shop/buy locally what I can’t produce myself. Lately I have joined the campaign against cheap,farm raised, shrimp from Asia. The practices used are horrific!
2 Cajun Chef Ryan // Aug 9, 2013 at 1:47 pm
Hello Ed!
You are so right, and the dumping of Asian seafood like shrimp and crawfish into the US has also forced local fisheries to loose sales. In the end, local and sustainable is going to make the difference! It might cost a bit more up front, but you will save in health later!
Bon appetite!
CCR
=:~)