9 Baby Steps to Start Living Greener

Eggs and animal products are a great way to start being organic. The

difference in flavor and quality is enough to convince any naysayer.

Photo source/riganmc

1. Shop farmers markets. Not only do farmers markets sustain the local, organic agricultural economy, but the food also uses significantly less packaging. Less packaging equates to less waste.
2. Pick one thing to start buying organic. Take note of how different it makes you feel ethically, and health-wise. [Personally, I recommend starting with cage-free, organic eggs. They're more than twice the cost, but the flavor and texture are well worth it.]
3. Wash laundry in cold water, instead of hot.
4. Replace all the light bulbs in one room with energy saving bulbs.
5. Don't just turn off appliances. Unplug them completely or use an extension cord that you turn off unless using the appliances in it.
6. Line dry your laundry. OR dry two loads in the same cycle.
7. Eliminate paper in the kitchen. Use rags or sponges for the counter, and fabric napkins instead of paper. Instead of disposable sponges, use brushes, which are reusable, don't smell and work better at getting off the grease and grime.
8. Eat less meat. I'm not one to preach about how everyone should be vegetarian, but eliminating meat for one day each week helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions generated by the meat processing plants.
9. Start your own herb garden. Not only does it liven up your living space and taste great, but it serves as a constant reminder of where your food comes from. [The ground, not just the supermarket]

Need inspiration? Read a book or watch a movie. There are lots of mediums that investigate the "green scene" and why it's beneficial to be environmentally sustainable. I just started (re)reading The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan, which traces four meals back to their source, but Goodreads.com lists numerous good green reads.

Meet Your Farmer: Stonewall Farm

Mala Cline interacts with Chelsea (the cow) at Stonewall Farm. The farm

aims to be transparent in their business practices and has a 24/7 "open 

door" policy.

Photo courtesy/Stonewall Farm

At the 2nd Annual Boston Local Food Festival a couple of weekends ago, I spoke to representatives at Organic Valley, one of the main producers of organic dairy products in the country. Organic Valley products, which are readily available at major grocery stores like Stop N Shop and Shaws, are sourced from local dairy farms.

According to the company's online program "Who's Your Farmer," one of the sources for Boston's milk products is Stonewall Farm in Keene, N.H. The non-profit farm aims to interact in the local community through educational programs and invites consumers to visit its grounds and interact with the animals and farming process.

I spoke with Stonewall's Executive Director, Josh Cline, about the farm's educational programs, it's transparency and how important it is for consumers to understand where their produce comes from.

What is Stonewall's overarching mission?
We're dedicated to connecting people to the land and the role of agriculture in their lives. That's our official mission statement.

What is your role at Stonewall?
The farm is different than your average farm because we're actually a non-profit organization. So, I'm the director; that doesn't mean I'm the farmer. I just take care of the various departments. So we have the (1) dairy [department] with 30 head of cattle and we have a (2) garden that's a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program year-round, which isn't common [in the Northeast]. And we do (3) sugaring, so we produce maple syrup. And then we have an (4) educational department, and that includes summer camps and school programs, weekend events and family programs. And if that's not enough, we also have the learning center and do facility rentals… during the wedding season the place is booked all the time. I'm the director of all of that.

Why does the farm opt to be organic?
The original reason beyond what you would expect—like being environmentally sustainable—is economic. Organic Valley is great in that they have committed to their farmers to provide a pretty stable price for their milk, and a pretty high price.

What products does the farm offer?
We sell milk in bulk to Organic Valley. So if you're drinking Organic Valley milk…you're drinking one one billionth of our milk. We also make our own organic cheddar cheese. It's not made on site, but it's our milk. Then interestingly enough, our third most popular product is compost. We compost our waste and sell it. And we use it on our own farm depending on the application. We also have non-certified organic produce. It takes a lot of money to go through the certification process, and it's just not worth it for us to go through that effort. Then we have flowers and a flowers CSA, and maple sugaring. We produce on the farm about 300 gallons of maple syrup a year. And beef; cows that no longer produce milk are used for hamburgers… And then every single one of our products have educational programs associated with them.

What is the importance of eating locally-sourced food?
First is the importance of keeping dollars in the local economy, as opposed to dollars going elsewhere. Second is connecting people to what what agriculture means. It's important for people to know that milk comes from cows and carrots come from the ground. People are willing to pay more for food at the farm than at the store because they know where the food comes from. They know it's safe to eat.

Why is it important for consumers to know who their farmers are?
To me, it gets back to the same understanding of what agriculture is, where the food comes from. When you go to a grocery store, it's not like you see the person putting the celery on the stand and feel a connection. Whereas, if you go and meet Glenn [Yardley], our farmer, you know who he is. That's human nature… when people become friends and know their farmer, they're more inclined to buy their product from them. It helps the farm and it helps people become more comfortable with the food they eat.

The Green Machine

The best part of any sandwich, in my opinion, are sprouts.

Photo source/healingdream

According to Boston Organic's weekly update, tomorrow's box should include a variety of winter vegetables: more beets, carrots, celeriac (celery root), radishes, lettuce, mixed herbs, potatoes, and shallots.

A lot of root vegetables, given that I chose the "local" box and all the products are sourced from the northeast. I realize that I jumped onto the organic bandwagon a little late in the year, and right now, most of the produce is grown below the ground. So I devised a little recipe—inspired by something I ate once in Bruges, Belgium—that uses my rooty winter goods. It also pairs well with a locally-brewed dark Belgian beer. Just saying...

I call it my green machine sandwich:

• Two slices of organic multi-grain bread ($3-4/loaf at Stop N Shop)
• Jalapeño hummus ($6 for a super big container)
• Lettuce (from Boston Organics!)
• Chives and sprouts (from Boston Organics)
• Tomato slices (tomatoes $3/pound at Copley Square market)
• Goat Cheese (that spreadable swiss cheese works too. $4)
• Roasted beet slices, chilled (from Boston Organics)
• Sliced radishes (from Boston Organics)
• Annie's organic goddess dressing ($4 a bottle)
• Salt and pepper to taste

With the hummus and the cheese, there's more than enough protein and plenty of flavor; the jalapeño hummus has a lot of kick to it. I avoid mayo because it's plenty moist, and I can't stand mayonnaise, but the Goddess dressing is a great replacement for a little extra moistness.

It's also got lots of color, between the beets and radishes and tomatoes, oh my! Serve it on toasted baguette slices as a pretty holiday-colored appetizer for guests. Pair it with the carrots, sliced celeriac and dip (hummus, dressing or cream cheese).

Boston Farmers' Markets

The Northeastern market features a diverse and colorful collection.
Photo source: NU farmers' market Facebook page.

Organic season in the Northeast typically runs June to October or November, when the farms are producing a surplus of product. And even though we're approaching the back end of that time, I thought I'd compile a list of some featured Boston farmers' markets.

Boston.com has a great site with a comprehensive list of all the local markets (in metro Boston and the surrounding areas), their dates and times. But I thought I'd address a few that I've frequented in detail:

Northeastern University
Northeastern club Husky Energy Action Team (HEAT) collaborated with the student government and other campus organizations to host a weekly market on campus. The stand is located in Centennial Commons on Wednesdays from 12-6 p.m. July through October. Options include seasonal produce from various local farms, including Heavens Harvest Farm in Braintree, and Marshall's Fenway Farm Stand in Boston.
T: Northeastern University or Ruggles Station

Copley Square
Vendors line Copley Square from 11 am. until 6 p.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays during the summer (may-November). Though many sell organic produce, others sell baked goods, dairy, flowers, herbs, and even staple groceries. Note that since the market is in a tourist-y area, prices might be jacked up a bit.
T: Copley or Back Bay

Prudential Center
The Prudential farmers' market, located on the Boylston side of the mall, runs Thursdays through October 27 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. They claim to have a wide variety of merchandise, though in my experience, the market is a little sparse. What's great is their location; what you can't find at the market, you can pick up at the Trader Joes right there on Boylston.
T: Hynes or Prudential

Can't fit a middle-of-the day market into your busy schedule? Organic Kitchen compiled a list of online markets where consumers can have goods shipped to their house.

A MetrOrganics Primer

The organic trend is on the up-and-up, and for good reason. Organic foods aren't genetically modified; they lack pesticides and toxins, and are higher in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. In addition to being healthy for one's body, they also benefit the environment because fewer toxins are being released into the ecosystem. Plus, they tend to come from local farms and support the local economy. They're fresher and better tasting.

But in a metropolitan center, quality organic food can be challenging to come by.

As someone with a busy schedule and an exhausted bank account, I know how difficult it is to live healthy in a big city. But I've recently developed a genuine interest in health and food, and especially the world of Boston organic food. I'm delving into the Boston "green" scene and plan to keep readers posted on all the best farmers' markets, urban gardening, local restaurants and general organic news.

To be fair, I'm admittedly a health foodie when it's convenient to me. But sometimes when I weigh time and money against healthfulness, I end up opting for what's easy. I've had plenty of Raman and Wendy's in my day. But, for the sake of my own health and for the integrity of this blog, I'm making an effort to buy organic, to eat home-cooked meals as frequently as possible. I'm an on-again-off-again vegetarian looking to be more committed, and an ex-athlete hoping to up the intensity.

But I'm making some changes, and I'll be sure to share my experiences here. Stay tuned, and follow me on twitter @mdaniells.