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| Organic in a box | |||
Want to become more healthy and earthy, but don't want to get your fingers dirty? Janet Steer speaks organic and shares a few tips on how to keep it clean. |
I am so often asked "Where do you shop, Janet?"
"Well", I say "When it comes to food, I don't really shop. My cupboard is always stocked with non-perishable grains and beans and I collect my weekly organic box. And I do on occasion pop down to my local Engen Quick Shop for a loaf of bread or pint of milk to keep my hubby happy.
But, week on week, it is my organic box that sustains me. This box of fresh organic fruit and vegetables sourced direct from the farm is available to order from a number of service providers. Based in Cape Town, I place my order with "Wild Organic Foods" by Thursday evening, and by the following Wednesday, the freshest of produce is on my table. I am at peace knowing that the food I am eating is not treated with synthetic pesticides, fertilisers and other chemicals that are harmful to both the earth and me.
The contents of the box varies from week to week, and best of all, I don't have to make any decisions. Nature decides. What's flourishing in the fields and begging to be boxed... that's what lands on my doorstep. I am offered endless variety, provided with a seasonal and tangible link to what's growing "out there" and constantly tested on my know-how and creativity. Some service providers (e.g. The Ethical Co-op) allow you to choose your order. I prefer the surprise element. This prevents me from ordering familiar produce week on week, but I do top-up and order specific produce from "ethical" on occasion.
Wensleydale Farms deliver in the Johannesburg and Pretoria area. For a small fee they allow you to tailor that week's box and make one or two substitutions.
Shorter shelf life and "getting our hands dirty" are two challenges of the organic box. Washed, perfectly prepped and packaged produce that "make life so easy" is not the order of the day. Fruit and vegetables, especially those not "packaged in a protective atmosphere" do not have an indefinite shelf life. On numerous occasions, I have seen wilted leaves and fruit fly parties in boxes that lie homeless on kitchen floors. Is the goal just to say "I order an organic box" or can we really benefit from this service? Where are some of us going wrong?
Firstly, collect your box on time (if you are collecting) and prep those rugged looking veg immediately. You'll start to realise that turnips do have tops and peas do have their proverbial pods. Top those carrots, tear that lettuce and dust off those beets. Prioritise the refrigeration of leafy vegetables e.g. lettuce. In the long run, it will save time and money and your vegetables.
Secondly, if there is something in your box that baffles you, don your Inspector Clouseau hat and investigate. "Google" the internet, surf the recipe archives or contact your supplier. In the case of "Wild", a weekly email recipe is provided that targets one or more of the unusual ingredients in that week's box.
Thirdly, innovate, use your intuition and think laterally. Sautéed carrot tops – nestled on the side of your plate to complement your food – serve as a wonderful condiment. Stragglers can be thrown in a pot of water, brought to the boil, covered and simmered until cooked. A final whiz in the blender will serve up a soup bursting with nourishment.
You don't have to plough the fields and sow the seeds. But, by supporting local farmers who are creating a more sustainable world, you're assured the liveliest of produce with the maximum amount of nutrients. Let's support "organic" and limit our consumption of imported produce. What's in your organic box is what Mother Nature knows you need.
Janet is a graduate of the Kushi Institute in Becket, Massachusetts. She is recognised by Michio Kushi, the founder of modern Macrobiotics and the Kushi Institute, as a recognised Macrobiotic Teacher and Counsellor. She has studied worldwide with leading macrobiotic teachers in macrobiotic cooking, macrobiotic healing, oriental diagnosis and shiatsu.
| story by Janet Steer from Food24 | |
| image by | |
