In preparation to go raw...

[Webby]

I went shopping today and discovered that my fears were accurate. My area does not have much in the way of raw, organic foods.

I was able to find organic spring greens, but most veggies and fruits are not organic. Even my local health food store was limited and the owners are not very familiar with raw foods.

Let's not even discuss sprouting seeds...non existant. I will, however, try to purchase seeds when I go to NYC to visit my mum.

My question is, how pertinant is it to have organic foods? I'd really like to start this weekend, but will not be able to get a hold of organic foods so readily.

[Rawkinlocs]

Organic is best, but you do what you can. When we first went raw, ALL of our produce was conventional BUT we still reaped the wonderful benefits of eating raw foods!!

Now, we have been blessed to be able to afford and find organic produce, even though we still buy "some" inorganic things from like Costco (bananas, cases of oranges, etc.) but I get my greens, my veggies, my tomatoes and my apples from the co-op.

You do the very best that you can, you will still reap the benefits.

[Webby]

That makes perfect sense. It seems that Sam's Club and Farmer's Market may be our only option, until we get to the city.

Thanks for your reply.

[rawpriestess]

Hi, it can seem pretty daunting when you first start raw, because so many things are new.

new appliances, new way to prepare foods, new recipes, new appliances, new thought processes, new friends, new recipe books, new everything.

And organic is best, but you just do the best you can.

When I first started raw over 5 years ago, I had a Vita Mix, and a very small 2 cup food processor, and I went raw, and did pretty good. I had one recipe book, and about 4 recipes.

[juliebove]

I just ordered some sprouting seeds online. There may well be a place to buy them around here, but I don't know where. I am lucky in that I get an organic produce box each week. It saves me money and gives me variety. But we don't always like what is in the box. My health food store is switching to a new vendor in March and we will have more options as to what comes in the box. The grocery stores around here all carry organic produce, but it isn't always fresh looking. I eat a lot of peppers and I've read that they are one food that is best to buy organic, but alas I usually don't because the organic ones usually are soft and wilted.

Can you grow anything yourself? I am using Earthboxes. They sit on my deck. We have a very small backyard and it is shaded by fruit trees. Nowhere really to plant a regular garden. But I find between the 5 Earthboxes and a small greenhouse (also on the deck), I can grow most of the vegetables I need to get me through the summer.

[rawpriestess]

If you have the room but shade, you might wish to think about artificial light for your deck, you know those grow lights, then you could also grow indoors during the winter, by bringing them inside, or even in your garage, or a shed, etc.

We have 16 gardens, and only a tad bit of shade, so we do alot of produce on our little plot of land here, and that is a wonderful way to get organic, but we also share with other neighbors and trade produce too.

So, we have a variety, We also dehydrate alot of fruit leathers and freeze and we put up our own sun dried tomatoes, which makes gallons of tomatoes into a few small jars, that's really nice, mmmmmmmm love those guys.

anyway, good luck with your raw, you're gonna do great!!!

keep all those good questions coming.