Here are 10 ways to starve a multi-national GMO conglomerate even when you don’t have room to farm – and the best news of all is that ANYONE can get started as soon as lunch time!
- Stop shopping at grocery stores. With farmer’s markets, roadside stands in the country, vegetable gardens,privately owned butcher shops, and mail order sources for bulk purchases of organic grains, there is no reason you need to ever set foot in another chilly, fluorescent-lit, chemical warfare zone again!
- Eat seasonally. Seasonal eating has a host of benefits. It’s healthier, it’s cheaper, and it’s far easier to find in-season foods locally grown.
- Join a CSA. CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. Basically when you join a CSA, you are buying shares in the harvest. This is a great way to support local farmers. You pay in advance and then as the harvest comes in, it is divided among shareholders. Each CSA is different – some divvy up only produce, while others share eggs and dairy products as well.
- Make the farmer’s market a weekly destination. Grab the kids and some reusable bags and head out to your local farmer’s market. Not only can you shop for vibrant, fresh-picked fruits and veggies, but many markets also offer home-baked goods, jams and jellies, and local meats. Be sure that you are buying directly from farmers, though. Some vendors buy from the same markets that the grocery stores do, which defeats the whole purpose. Talk to the vendor and learn about the origin of the offerings – you just may strike up a wonderful friendship!
- Buy directly from the farm. If you live in a more rural area, shopping locally can be as easy as visiting a neighboring farm. Some set up roadside stands, others rely on the honor system, and others have small shops with their freshly harvested offerings.
- Visit a pick-your-own farm. A great outing for the whole family is a pick-your-own farm. Even better, the price for fresh berries or apples is often lower when you provide your own labor. A morning spent in the field picking strawberries is both educational and a fun way to bond with your children. You can find a PYO farm in your area HERE.
- Learn to preserve food. Many of us live in a climate doesn’t allow for fresh harvests year-round. The good news is, you can acquire fresh produce in large quantities (like bushel baskets) for a far better price than a weekly supply. Canning, freezing, and dehydrating are three great ways to preserve that fresh picked goodness to enjoy in the middle of winter, while still avoiding the grocery store and it’s Monsanto-filled shelves.
- Join a food co-0p. According to Localharvest.org, “Food cooperatives are worker or customer owned businesses that provide grocery items of the highest quality and best value to their members. Coops can take the shape of retail stores or buying clubs. All food coops are committed to consumer education, product quality, and member control, and usually support their local communities by selling produce grown locally by family farms.” Food co-ops can be found HERE and HERE.
- Support restaurants that buy locally. The locavore movement is catching on. If you choose to go out to dinner, opt for restaurants that have seasonal menus based on local harvests. You can find a list of such eateries HERE.
- Educate friends, family, and the local community. Extend the activism beyond your own kitchen by helping to promote the local options. Lots of people have no idea what to do with swiss chard or rutabagas. Volunteer to teach a cooking class that focuses on seasonal foods. Write up flyers to be inserted with co-op or CSA baskets with instructions on how to prepare that months’ harvest. Submit seasonal recipes to your local paper. Educate, educate, educate, on the benefits and importance of locally grown, non-GMO food.
Grass roots activism like Occupy Monsanto and the March Against Monsanto have built a tidal wave of momentum against the genetically modified ingredients contaminating our supplies. We, everyday, ordinary people, can keep the movement going by remembering that the real votes are counted at the cash register.