CSAs and Organic Food
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a program in which many farms offer
subscriptions. Under this program, subscribers receive a weekly or monthly basket of
locally grown, in-season fruits, vegetables, flowers, eggs, and milk; sometimes other
products like coffee or tea are included as well. Most of the products in the baskets
are products that are produced on the farm, but they don’t have to be.
Under a CSA program, there is a relationship developed between the farm and the member’s
(shareholder’s or subscriber’s – several terms are used). Not all of the farms in the
CSA program are organic farms, although many are. By making a financial commitment to a
farm in a CSA program, people become “members” (or “shareholders,” or “subscribers”) of
the CSA. The membership entitles them to receive produce from the farm on a regular
basis through the growing season.
Usually memberships are paid for annually, but some farmers will accept weekly or
monthly payments, and some CSAs also require that members work a few hours on the farm
each week during the growing season. Regulations and requirements vary from farm to
farm.
The Community Supported Agriculture program is not one that has been well advertised
nationally. You might see some advertisements for locally owned farms that are part of
the program and you will have to determine which farms are organic and which are not.
This is, however, a method that those who want fresh, organically grown fruit and
vegetables that can be purchased locally.
More and more of the farms that are in the Community Supported Agriculture program are
organic farms. There’s still a long way to go, but organic farming is on the increase
along with the demand for organically produced food.
Consumer Demand for Organic Food
Price (whether the market likes to admit it or not) really is controlled by consumer demand for products and services. When demand falls, price also falls. When demand increases, price also increases. It’s a simple formula that isn’t very easily manipulated (although the oil companies are doing a pretty good job of manipulating it at the present, but that’s another article). We’re talking about organic food and the demand for it.
Today all health food stores and most herbal medicine stores carry some organic food items. Big chain grocery stores are also beginning to carry a line of organic products as well. The reason that more retailers are carrying organic products is because more consumers are demanding organic products. And, of course, the price is growing up. Price is going up because demand has increased and supply has not. There is less product desired by more people. Big demand + small supply = high prices.
I also like to think that people are just getting smarter when it comes to food choices. We’ve become a weight-conscious nation. You can hardly find a person who doesn’t know what calories, carbohydrates, and proteins are. Even little kids know the difference between saturated fat and unsaturated fat. Now the population is becoming more and more aware of how the food on grocery store shelves is produced. The problems with contaminated products from China raised awareness, I think, and that’s a good thing. (Not the contaminated products, but the awareness of the contaminated products.)
There is a rule, however, that says that what goes up must also come down. As more and more people demand organically produced food, more and more producers of food will choose to grow their products using organic methods. As more supply becomes available, the prices will go
down. It’s going to take a while, though.
Can Organic Food Help Depression?
“Food can have an immediate and lasting effect on mental health and behavior because of the way it affects the structure and function of the brain.” That is one of the statements in a recently released study concerning the effect of food on the mind.
Think about the things that go into our bodies every day; air, water, and food. Our bodies use these elements for our very existence. The body wouldn’t last long if any of these basic requirements weren’t met.
* Air: We know that inhaling smoke and other pollutants is detrimental to our physical as well as our mental health.
* Water: We also know that there are many diseases that can be contracted from unsafe drinking water, and some of these diseases can cause brain damage, among other things.
* Food: If air and water can affect our physical and mental well-being, then don’t you think that food might also affect our physical as well as our mental well-being? It stands to reason!
There are all kinds of “stuff” in food that the body uses as fuel. Sometimes we eat food just because it “tastes good.” But the food choices that we make can and do affect our brain function, and there really isn’t much doubt about that one. There is a much higher incidence of depression in countries where little fish is eaten. Scientists also know that schizophrenia is linked to a deficiency of antioxidant vitamins and essential fats. Yes, food affects the brain. What’s IN and ON that food also affects the brain.
The government has established “safe” levels of toxic chemicals that are allowed on traditionally grown fruits and vegetables. It has also established “safe” levels of antibiotics and growth hormones that are “safe” in meat products. The question is, safe for whom, and how much is too much? I think I’ll stick with organically produced meat!
Panama Organic Coffee Brands
Some of the world’s best organic coffee comes from Panama. Panama mountain grown organic coffee b enefits from the rich volcanic soil at the base of the extinct 11,000 foot volcano, Volcan Baru. A frequent cloud cover at high altitudes and forested slopes provide an ideal location for shade grown coffee. Whether you are looking for coffee for individual consumption or if you would like Panama wholesale organic coffee , look to the country on the isthmus joining the Americas for excellent coffee. There are a number of Panama organic coffee brands. The easiest way to find out about and to receive any of the excellent Panama organic coffee brands is to contact Panamá Natural Organic Coffee for availability and pricing.
Organic Coffee from Panama
The Cordillera Central of Panama, its mountainous spine, is an extension of the mountains of the North. Here, in the tropics, the highlands are referred to as the land of eternal spring. The elevation provides a relief from the coastal heat but, because Panama is in the tropics, it does not get cold. The highlands of Panama are ideal for growing coffee. The highlands around Boquete and Volcan in the province of Chiriquí have rich volcanic soil and a coffee growing culture going back a century. Small family owned farms grow coffee on the slopes of the mountains and hills of Panama. Many of these coffee farms produce shade grown coffee as growers have left much of the natural habitat in place. In addition, many growers have used sustainable growing techniques for coffee for years. Thus it was a small step for many to receive Bio Latina organic coffee certification . Bio Latina certifies producers and processors in behalf of the United States Department of Agriculture, the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, and agricultural authorities in Canada and the European Union. The highlands of Panama can be your source for individual bags of coffee or large shipments of Panama wholesale organic coffee.
Panama Organic Coffee Brands
If you are looking for a cup with great organic coffee aroma and healthy organic coffee antioxidants consider Panama organic coffee. There are many available organic coffee growers and processors. If your interest is in green coffee beans, Panama wholesale organic coffee may be for you. If your interest is in processed, bagged, and labeled organic coffee that is always an option. Here is a list of Panama organic coffee brands:
- Asociación de Caficultores Orgánicos Ngöbe Ascon
- Finca Dos Jefes
- Finca El Remedio – Ama de Casa
- Finca Ramon Arauz
- Finca San Miguel de La Montaña
- Finca Señor Ramón Arauz
- Hacienda Barbara Jaramillo
- Hacienda La Esperanza
- Leap Of Faith Farms, Inc
- Los Lajones Estate Coffee S.A.
In general you will need to speak Spanish in order to contact these folks so, if you are interested it will be easier to work through a local, bilingual company, to buy one of the excellent Panama organic coffee brands. If you interest is in purchasing either coffee for your own consumption or Panama wholesale organic coffee in bulk please feel free to contact us at Panamá Natural Organic Coffee by way of www.BuyOrganicCoffee.org today.
Are You What You Eat?
That old saying, “You are what you eat” has been around for a while. I am kind of inclined to believe that there is a lot to the concept.
Our food supply is filled with toxic substances. I know, I know. The government has established safety guidelines for how much of the toxic substances we can safely eat. Wait! EATING any toxic substances doesn’t sound all that safe to me. When I read that the levels of “safety” were determined for grown men who weighed at least 154 pounds, I was shocked. What about all of the people who are smaller? Are the same levels “safe” for women? When was the last time you saw a little kid that weighed 154 pounds of either sex? Are these “guidelines” relevant – much less effective? If we really are what we eat, right now most Americans would be toxic.
What is called “conventional” food production techniques include the use of chemical fertilizers (some of which end up IN the food), toxic pesticides (some of which end up ON the food) and drugs like antibiotics and growth hormones. Food that is processed and packaged is filled with artificial flavor enhancers and preservatives, many of which are known to be unsafe at high levels of consumption. Have you ever looked at the list of ingredients on packaged food? Good grief! I can’t even pronounce most of those words. What ARE they?
Well, if we really are what we eat, all of those things are us. They are in our bodies. They circulate through our systems. The question is, are they really safe? I’m not so sure that they are. We are what we eat – or so “they” say, and I choose to be nontoxic and drug free. What do you choose?
San Francisco Coffee Roasters
Whether your preference is healthy organic coffee or regular roasted coffee the best coffee flavor comes from freshly roasted beans. For a cup of coffee free of many unwanted impurities, full of healthy antioxidants, and good for the environment choose one of the San Francisco coffee roasters for organic coffee. Remember that in a cup of freshly roasted coffee from one of the San Francisco coffee roasters you will find natural ingredients that can cut the risk of Type II diabetes in half and make prostate cancer, endometial cancer, and colon cancer less frequent as well. All this just because you routinely visit one of the San Francisco coffee roasters for a fresh batch of roasted coffee.
Freshly Roasted Organic Coffee
When you check on San Francisco coffee roasters inquire about whether they offer freshly roasted organic coffees. These coffees are USDA certified or certified by a USDA affiliate. For example Bio Latina organic coffee certification tells you that coffee beans from Panama, Colombia, and elsewhere in Latin America were grown according to sustainable agricultural practices, processed separately, and stored separate from regular coffee. When you see a USDA seal or seal of a certifying agency such as Bio Latina you can be sure that you are getting genuine organic coffee. Ask for organic coffee and skip the 150 or so impurities that often show up in regular coffee. No pesticides, herbicides, synthetic fertilizers for you!
Other Sources of Roasted Organic Coffee
If roasted organic coffee from Panama interests you please contact us a www.BuyOrganicCoffee.org . Whether your interest in in wholesale coffee of coffee that is roasted and sent to you a bag at a time check with the folks at Buy Organic Coffee who speak English, Spanish, and organic coffee.
Tips for Storing Coffee
- Green coffee beans properly stored last for about two years
- Roasted coffee beans retain their flavor for up to six months when vacuum packed
- Once you open the container of roasted coffee beans do not refrigerate
- These beans will retain their flavor for up to two months
- Once you grind coffee beans the coffee retains its flavor for a few hours at the most
For a local roaster in San Francisco or the greater Bay Area here is a list of local vendors for both freshly roasted organic or regular coffees.
- Blue Bottle Coffee
- Caffe Roma Coffee Roasting
- Caffe Trieste
- De La Paz Roasters
- Ecco Caffe
- Four Barrel Coffee
- Flywheel Coffee Roasters
- Graffeo Coffee
- Ritual Coffee Roasters
- Rogers Family Coffee Company
- San Francisco Coffee Roasting Company
- Sight Glass Coffee
- Toper Coffee Roasters
- Wrecking Ball Coffee
Remember not to stock up on large quantities of roasted coffee beans from San Francisco coffee roasters, at least not more than enough for a couple of months or you will see a decline in flavor from the first cup to the last. And, certainly, do not grind a large quantity of freshly roasted coffee as the decline in flavor will be precipitous over just a few days.
Houston Coffee Roasters
In search of high quality, freshly roasted healthy organic coffee ? There are Houston coffee roasters from whom you can purchase a wide range of regular and organic coffees. Freshness of coffee comes down to a few facts.
- Properly stored green coffee beans last for about two years.
- Roasting coffee brings about a number of complex chemical reactions in the coffee bean.
- Antioxidants formed in roasting coffee are responsible for its unique taste and many health benefits.
- Anti-oxidants break down with exposure to oxygen.
- Roasted beans can maintain most of their flavor for up to six months if vacuum packed.
- Once they are exposed to air but kept in a cool and dry place roasted coffee beans maintain flavor for no more than two months.
- Once you grind roasted coffee beans you expose all of the inner antioxidants to the air and you lose flavor by the hour if not the minute.
So, if you want to preserve those organic coffee antioxidants buy and store green coffee beans to roast and grind at home or, better yet, purchase small quantities of freshly roasted coffee of your choice from any of a number of Houston coffee roasters. If you buy your own green coffee store it in a bag that breaths, paper or burlap, and not in plastic. If you visit one of the Houston coffee roasters save your roasted coffee beans in a sealed glass jar in a cool place. Remember that a place like the handy cupboard right above the stove heats up when you are cooking. Pick a handy spot away for heat sources. Coffee fresh from one of the Houston coffee roasters will keep its flavor for a couple of months. Just make sure that you only grind enough for a serving or two at a time.
If you are looking for good wholesale organic coffee, green beans that is, feel free to contact Panamá Natural Organic Coffee or other suppliers through www.buyorganiccoffee.org . Panamá Natural Organic Coffee can supply naturally grown organic and sustainably grown coffees from Panama as well as Colombia. From Panama mountain grown organic coffee to Juan Valdez organic coffee from Colombia Latin America produces a number of fine coffees, available as green beans or freshly roasted coffees put in the post to mail to your home almost before the beans have cooled.
If you would just as soon walk down the street to a local vendor for your freshly roasted organic or regular coffee, here is a list of Houston coffee roasters:
- Java Pura
- Fusion Beans
- Whole Foods
- House of Coffee Beans
- 3 Cups
- Purple Turtle Coffee Company
- Duncan Coffee
Remember not to stock up on large quantities of roasted coffee beans from Houston coffee roasters, at least not more than enough for a couple of months or you will see a decline in flavor from the first cup to the last. And, certainly, do not grind a large quantity of freshly roasted coffee as the decline in flavor will be precipitous over just a few days.