Yesterday, I was enjoying one of the fine fall days that Northern Illinois has been having when I rediscovered what I call the awesome allure of organics--particularly local organics. I had just picked the last of the tomatoes from the raised bed and put them on the kitchen counter, when I turned away to do something. When I got back, I saw my near 2 year old running through the house eating a tomato like an apple.
At that point, I must confess I didn't think of the organic statute, or the organic regs or even the National Organic Program. I thought I wish I'd washed the tomatoes, and then I thought well, at least I know I didn't put anything on them or use anything on them, that my two year old couldn't eat unwashed. And that's a comforting thought...
And I think on the consumer side, it is that desire for a comforting thought about food, that really drives all of trends I help people with from Ag tourism to organics to artisan products. I think eventually law and policy will catch up to a desire for a more local food system that people have more of a sense of control over.
I've run a pretty organic show on my lawn and modest garden. My thinking was that if I was going to help people with organic farms, I should probably keep my own part of the world as organic as I could. In the end those are important considerations, but nothing replaces the sheer allure of organics.
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