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June 26, 2010

A Day on the Farms with Stonyfield

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Today has seriously been one of the coolest days, ever.

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We went to three different farms (two organic, one non-organic) today as part of the Stonyfield Blogger Barnstorming Tour and I don’t think I’ve ever learned so much in my life!

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It was so awesome to actually meet the farmers in person and really see where the heck my food is coming from, who is producing it, and how.

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I feel like as a nation we have gotten so disconnected from the source of our food. It was really interesting and cool to see everything that actually goes into it, and that whether or not the farm is managed organically really does make a huge difference.

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Some organic fun facts:

  • There is a three year transition of land from non-organic to organic.
  • Cows have to be fed and treated to meet organic standards for a full 12 months before their milk can be sold as organic.
  • 95% of ingredients (excluding water and salt) have to be organic in order to label something “organic.” (And the remaining 5% must be proven that you attempted to make it organic, but could not!)
  • Only about 0.5% of all U.S. cropland and pasture were certified organic in 2005 — about 4 million acres.
  • There’s a HUGE difference between “natural” and “organic” — in fact, “natural” on a label means absolutely nothing!

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Being certified organic stands for three things:

  1. Utilization of natural means of pest control/prevention.
  2. Adhering to a certain standard of animal control, focusing on humane treatment.
  3. Maintaining low levels of environmental pollution.
  4. Not using any GMO’s (Genetically Modified Organisms)

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Did you know that the average life expectancy for a conventionally raised cow is only 4 years, while for an organically raised cow it is 10 years? One of the farms we visited today even has a 15 year old cow!

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Also, apparently male cattle are called bulls, and only female cattle are called cows!

 

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I have so many details I want to share with all of you about each of the farms we visited today, but I won’t do it justice if I cram it all into one post.

I’ve decided to give each of the farms we visit its own post, which I’ll be sharing throughout the week. Stay tuned for awesome videos of the farmers, amazing photos, and what I learned about organic farming — including the answers to your questions! Plus — why I’m going to make a BIG effort to only buy organic food from here on out! Yep, I totally drank the organic kool-aid.

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p.s. Be sure to follow me on Twitter if you aren’t already — I’m tweeting all weekend about our adventures!

p.p.s. Uma says “Holla!”

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- anne
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14 comments
  • VeggieGirl
    June 26, 2010 · 7:47PM:
    FASCINATING!! Such a wonderful experience!
    Reply
  • jenny in new york
    June 26, 2010 · 8:24PM:
    LOVE cows, just not their milk :) haha. I love animals so much, these photos are adorable
    Reply
  • Jen Robinson June 26, 2010 · 9:18PM:
    I have heard that as one of the rules of growing crops organically, farmers have to use organic pesticides which can actually be MORE harmful to people than regular synthetic kinds because they use organophosphates. Can you ask the farmers about that? :) Sorry to "submit" my question so late!
    Reply
  • Julie @ Pickley Pear
    June 26, 2010 · 9:29PM:
    Super cool tour! I am very jealous! I only buy organic when it's on sale. Am looking forward to hearing all about the farms!
    Reply
  • Heather
    June 26, 2010 · 9:31PM:
    what an amazingly FUN time! i love the photos, and you girls all look so beautiful!
    Reply
  • Matt
    June 26, 2010 · 9:56PM:
    Thanks for the facts! I try to buy organic as much as possible. It is really important to me!
    Reply
  • Jen
    June 26, 2010 · 10:52PM:
    Love all this info!! I pretty much buy organic as often as possible.
    Reply
  • M June 27, 2010 · 9:30AM:
    Oh my, those cows are so sweet looking-the eyes! I don't know if I am going to be able to eat beef after this blog....I may have nightmares of those beautiful eyes looking at me. How can we chop these guys up and eat them? I am a beef eater but am questioning myself bigtime just from your photos alone. What about you Anne-how does meeting these cows in person make you feel about it?
    Reply
    • Anne P
      June 27, 2010 · 12:29PM:
      Great question! I actually asked one of the farmers yesterday how it made them feel to have to kill some of their animals. They said it made them sad, but that they just had to remember that it's part of the cycle of life, and what they have to do to make a living. Plus, they are comforted knowing that their animals had long, happy lives. Touring the farms has really made me realize the importance of choosing organic, grass fed beef in particular. From now on I'm ONLY going to be purchasing this kind of meat. I'll feel better knowing that the animals weren't mistreated.
      Reply
  • DHP June 27, 2010 · 10:02AM:
    What a great day! Most fun and most informative. Well done!
    Reply
  • Marilou @ Mostly Healthy
    June 27, 2010 · 10:19AM:
    Ah so cool! So worth it, to have all these informations! :)
    Reply
  • Jackie (Peaces of Earth)
    June 27, 2010 · 10:28PM:
    So cool!! Thanks bringing us along on your trip. I do my best to only buy organic, I think it's so important!
    Reply
  • angie June 28, 2010 · 11:41AM:
    thanks for all the awesome info on organic products!
    Reply
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anne mauney fannetastic food
Hi, I’m Anne! I'm a Washington D.C. based Registered Dietitian, mother, runner, and lover of travel, adventure, and the great outdoors. I've been blogging since 2009, sharing a mix of lifestyle content, recipes, and fitness tips. Come for the recipes – stay for the fun!
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anne mauney

I’m Anne, a Registered Dietitian and mother. I've been blogging since 2009 and love showing others that eating nutritious foods and staying active can actually be fun rather than overwhelming!

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