Shopping Organic & Local

Taste Test Challenge: Buy a carton of conventional strawberries and another of organic strawberries. Pluck one from each package, mix them up and close your eyes. If the strawberry you bite into has a bitter aftertaste, it's the conventional one. If the strawberry you sample offers a sweet, clean flavor, you know you've got organic, garden-fresh goodness. But organic foods don't just taste better; they're better for the global environment and our ecosystem right here in Florida. 

Sun Coast Girl shares secrets of where to shop organic in Southwest Florida and live your healthiest life...

Why Is It Important to Buy Organic?

Try these 5 compelling reasons for starters:

1. Organic foods are healthier since they're produced without pesticides or other harmful chemicals, many of which are known carcinogens.

2. Organic agriculture promotes healthy soil, which in turn, absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, purifying the air we breathe.

3. Organic farming also keeps our waterways cleaner. From lakes to oceans, organic farming ensures that no synthetic fertilizers will seep into our waters, contaminating marine life and dirtying our beaches.

4. Animals live in better conditions on organic farms as they are fed a natural diet and are free to roam the pastures, living happily in fresh air and sunshine.

5. The USDA Organic label is backed by strong quality control unlike other methods of farming, so you know exactly what you're getting when you buy organic.

Oh and yes of course, organic foods taste delicious, setting the stage for some amazing culinary creations in your kitchen...

Where to Shop Organic in Southwest Florida

Tourists tend to associate Disney World and cosmopolitan Miami with Florida, but we live in one of the most agriculturally rich states in the nation. Step away from the theme park attractions and the cities, and you'll be immersed in the small, family-run farms that lend both beauty and character to the Sunshine State. 

Many of these farms are open for business, selling their homegrown treats to the public. O'Brien Family Farms was famous throughout Bradenton for its fresh baked strawberry shortcake which people crossed county lines to devour. Sadly, the farm went bankrupt after 35 years in business and is no longer a staple of the community. But lucky for Bradenton residents, there are other farms in town that are thriving, such as Hunsader Farms that hosts a flower festival and pumpkin patch. 

You can do your part to keep local farmers afloat by frequenting the outdoor markets in the region. One of the biggest farmer's markets, The Market at Lakewood Ranch, is now open year-round. The market features everything your taste buds could imagine: pasta, truffle oils, Gulf sea salt, cheese, bread, butter, cold-pressed juices, seafood, meat, honey and jams. The market even has a selection of handcrafted gift soaps and occasional art vendors selling paintings and sculpture. 

A few delights you'll find on Opening Day at The Market at Lakewood Ranch:

Perhaps even better than all the delectable goods that will help you cook like a Floridian, there's the market's official mission statement which encapsulates why buying local and organic is so essential:

"Established to be a sustaining influence in the community's connection to the land for generations to come. To integrate local purveyors into the fabric of the Lakewood Ranch community; to serve as a social and educational resource for the community; and to encourage all members of the community to make healthy lifestyle choices, particularly in regard to the food we eat, our relationships with home and the activities we participate in."

If you find a farmer's market close to home, take advantage of your location and walk or bike there! We can all reduce our carbon footprints, one organic bite at a time.