Farm Focus: Longview Farm & Market

What - A - Gem!
If you know me personally, you know that I talk, or dream really, at length about my vision for our country: where you can identify the farm your milk came from, you know your farmer by name, where fruits and vegetables and herbs and animals are left to grow at their natural pace to their natural size eating their natural diet and therefore don't pollute our bodies when we eat them, where you know what you are feeding your body because you made it, or you can name who made it, and because you, or they, can not only pronounce  but produce every ingredient.I was born in the 1980's, so this, sadly, is a dream. But for many who still call our country home, this is not a dream, but a description of how life once was, not all that long ago.

When I visit places like Longview Farm & Market, I feel extremely hopeful that my dream will become reality in my lifetime. Longview and its team have maintained what it has always meant to farm

Support Local Farmers

Some Goodies I Picked Up Last Night at My Local Farm

Each time you choose organic you move the dial of the American food system away from toxic factory farms and toward safe sustainable local organic farming!

To locate farmers and markets near you and show your support, utilize one of these great sites:

• LocalHarvest.org
• EatWellGuide.com
• FarmersMarket.com 

Keep it Real & Get Out to the Farmers Markets This Weekend!

LVO

Pushing Back on the Perception of Organic Snobbery

Another Great Response for Those Casting Judgement

Unless you're surrounded by friends and family who follow the same organic lifestyle, sooner or later you will find yourself in a sticky spot between maintaing your path and imposing your path on others. I always preach proactivity- Read your labels. Pack your lunches. Ask your questions - because the moment you take back control of your food, you regain control of your body, your happiness and your life. 

However, unfortunately, many people remain in the dark when it comes to the toxicity of the typical American diet and therefore regard those of us who reject their lifestyle as  crazy hempseed freaks or organic snobs with "all of this extra money" who stick their noses up at anything that isn't OrGaNiC...  It's sad, really. You've made the decision to protect your body from the toxins, chemicals, scary genetically modified Frankenfoods, and lies ubiquitous in the American diet and food supply - and yes, to be skeptical of anything that isn't organic. And at times it feels like everyone and their brother want to steer you off path and away from the organic life that has corrupted you (or however it is they perceive it). The worst is when its your own family or

Locate Organic Resources and Restaurants Near You

I come from a fairly small town in Northeastern Pennsylvania void of any real "Organic Scene". When I moved to Philadelphia, I was overwhelmed with restaurant and market options - in a good way! For an East Coast city, it does an OK job keeping the organic spots in business. 

But when I moved to the suburbs this year, I was LOST. I needed help and FAST. I was now located within 5 minutes of a FANTASTIC Whole Foods (Shout-Out to Everyone who Makes Whole Foods Plymouth Meeting such a Great Shopping / Dining / Socializing Experience!!), but I needed to find my farmers, my restaurants, my coffee and tea spots. 

All my prayers were answered with EatWellGuide.Org. This website searches its database of local, organic, and sustainable establishments based on your location and specified criteria. Even in an east coast suburb I was able to find my Saturday Farmer's Market, Birthday Dinner Restaurant and even discovered a GREAT Coffee Spot that was right under my nose the whole time!

What's more - If you plan to do any traveling in the near future, they have a great tool that allows you to plan ahead by scoping our all of your organic options along your route! Pretty awesome, right!?

Thanks to EatWellGuide.Org for hooking all of us up with such a useful tool!

Keep It Real,

LVO