What Is Organic?

            On Thursday, I had one of the most enjoyable and delicious meals since my time in Iowa. The group ate lunch at The Gathering Barn, a rather small, cozy restaurant, located in the middle of nowhere. It used ingredients from the Wallace Farm right outside the window. While I can say we brought the age demographic down and also added a bit of gender variety to the customers, the service was good, and the food was excellent. 

The meal started off with soft grain bread that was accompanied by herb butter. Unfortunately, this was one of the things that was not made on the farm, but as far as I know, it was still made with natural and healthy ingredients. I had lentils with beef and vegetables, and while the lentils to me were a tad undercooked, the flavors were savory and crisp. Most other people in the group had a vegetable tart. The jury ruled unanimously on the vegetable tart, deeming it to be delicious. Once we had finished our meal, the chef was kind enough to give us a complementary scoop of rhubarb ice cream. Most of us also got the flourless chocolate cake. The rhubarb ice cream was a nice tart contrast to the chocolate cake, which was one of the moistest and rich chocolate cakes I’ve had. Ending on that sweet note, the group went on a brief historical tour of the restaurant.

After the tour was over, we chatted a bit with the chef, and then went on a tour of the farm that supplies the restaurant. An interesting topic brought up on the tour of the farm was the idea of organic produce. One of the ladies that works on the farm, Sarah, brought up the fact that organic is so over used in the public that many people don’t have the correct idea of what organic truly is. So, to aid in a public awareness of what organic really is, I found a definition given by USDA National Organic Program (NOP). Before I give the definition, think about what you personally believe to be the definition of organic and see how well your definition matches to the NOP standard:

“The USDA National Organic Program (NOP) defines organic as follows: ‘Organic food is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations. Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones. Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation. Before a product can be labeled "organic," a Government-approved certifier inspects the farm where the food is grown to make sure the farmer is following all the rules necessary to meet USDA organic standards. Companies that handle or process organic food before it gets to your local supermarket or restaurant must be certified, too.’”

How well did you do? Many people think that organic just means that the crops or animals are raised without any pesticides or antibiotics. However, organic production means that you cannot use most pesticides. For a list of those you can use, you can find it on the USDA website; it’s basically a list of chemical compounds. Organic also entails programs and plans for conserving the soil such as crop rotation and letting the soil rest and restore for a few seasons.

To be honest, I did not know what the definition of organic was except for the fact that you couldn’t use most pesticides. I also do not know how the definition has changed over the years, seeing as how most people say the definition has become more lax. However, I happy to have gained more knowledge on the subject, and hope you are as well.