Summer is upon us and it is time to enjoy gardening, local farmers’ markets, garage/tag sales, and spending time with family. I planted nine varieties of heirloom tomatoes and six varieties of peppers in addition to some other vegetables and herbs. I was able to purchase these organic seedlings from the Urban Oaks Organic Farm in New Britain, Connecticut. I'm looking forward to trying the heirloom tomatoes in the fresh salsas I enjoy making in summer.

In May I attended the All Things Organic Conference in Chicago. It was exciting to see all the interest and enthusiasm for organic products. Rick Bayless gave a wonderful talk about his search for locally grown organic foods for his restaurant, Frontera Grill in Chicago. After not having much luck, he worked tirelessly to create a network of organic farmers near Chicago to supply restaurants in the Chicagoland area. In addition to attending the address by Mr. Bayless, I visited over 400 booths sampling many wonderful organic products. It was a very exciting day.

The organic industry is growing by leaps and bounds. A recent survey by the Organic Trade Association shows sales of organic food and nonfood items rose 20% in 2003. That is amazing and good to hear. The more people buying organic products, the better this world will be. People have asked me why I buy organic items. I do not have a simple answer to this question. It is a different mindset to consciously think about purchases instead of following the moo cow mainstream out to Wal-Mart to buy the latest gizmo destined for the landfill. I will never, ever claim to be perfect and I will certainly confess that I have on more than one occasion in my past purchased something that was idiotic. However, the older I get, the more I feel the need to question whether I actually need something. I determine if something is a need or a want. Do I have something at home that will work just as well? Will I be able to pick up the item used at a garage/tag sale later on?

If you are reading this magazine, I'm sure I don't need to tell YOU why to buy organically grown items, but I think I can summarize why I buy organic in a few sentences. Organically grown items are grown without the use of pesticides or other chemicals in a sustainable manner. Fewer pesticides and chemicals used in agriculture means fewer chemicals in the soil, water, and air. It also means better health for people eating the final product AND for the Earth. One of the most important reasons I buy organic is that fewer chemicals mean better habitat for fish and wildlife! By the one simple act of buying an organic product instead of a conventional one, we are giving our friends the Rose-breasted Grosbeak, the Monarch Butterfly, the Southern Flying Squirrel and the Johnny Darter a better place to live. Not to mention the fact that organic foods just taste better! Eating really is a political act and I encourage everyone to buy organic whenever possible.

Respectfully yours,

C.J. Wong