Organic Co-op Bugs...lol

[BeadedGraces]

Help me out...so I joined an organic co-op and we are loving it...HOWEVER...I am very ignorant about the bugs...we were chopping lettuce and when I moved it to the sink, I left behind about 20 crawling little green bugs on my cutting board. I tried to contain myself remembering "organic organic organic" but how do I know what bugs are good and which ones bad?

I gotta tell you I am very hard pressed to hand over veggies with bugs on it...to my kids. The califlower seemed to be the worst...and very difficult to clean...in all honesty as much as I cleaned it...and as much as I now its organic...I found it hard to eat any of it! <i had an urge to cook it...but didn't>

Is there a bug protocol? I should have taken a picture...i might next time...
Please tell me its normal...I mean it has to be right?

[Clare]

I have had that problem with the farmers market here in the summer. You can fill a shallow pan with water and cheap white vinegar and let the cauli sit in it for up to 20 minutes. I guess it helps the bugs lose their grip and makes them easier to wash off? And if you wear gloves while you do your washing you won't be quite as disgusted. But honestly I would try some other farmers if you can. When I was growing up, all the organic broccoli my mom bought was riddled with tiny black bugs and my mom's eyes weren't nearly as good as mine. They were nestled in every nook. Now I never see those in organic broccoli so the farmers must have really learned something. I was so turned off from broccoli as a kid so don't let your kids see those bugs :-)

[BeadedGraces]

Clare, you are right...there was no way I was going to even mention the word "bug" to my kids...granted...my boys would have excited to see them...my daughter would have used it as an excuse NOT to eat it! <I couldn't go near the cauliflower after washing the bugs off...> lol I will have to try the vinegar wash next time.

I wonder too if it makes a difference when you grow them as opposed to getting them from another farmer....I am less disgusted with my houses dirt over "stranger dirt"...I wonder if that would hold true with bugs vs stranger bugs. We are starting a garden and I wonder if it's different "phychologically" if its from your own garden? I know I am reaching here...but you know secretly you totally understand what I am talking about!!! :p

[jacsam]

Hey, one good thing about the bugs is that if you happen to eat one at least it will be RAW!!! (You do know I'm joking....the thought of raw meat would turn me inside out)

[BeadedGraces]

well that was a thought of mine too...but then i picture my poor kiddos chompin' down on some ~multi~legged creature and it freaks me out!!!!

[GoingtoRAW]

Shortly after I first went raw I joined a co-op so I could get better prices on organic produce. Oh boy - the bug problem was just ridiculous. They even got into my refrigerator when I would put the produce in there. It was crazy - even in the winter there were bugs all the time no matter what I did. I just could not get rid of them. It was so embarrasing that I couldn't even invite people over because I felt like my house was dirty all the time because of these bugs crawling and flying around. It finally got to the point where I had to stop buying from the co-op because I could just not get rid of those darn bugs. :(

[ulimana]

aren't bugs considered a superfood?

kidding! one time my roomate found a large (~1.5") green grasshopper. and then ate it. sober.

[rainwolf]

Well.. at least you know the food is not toxic if the bugs are still kickin! LOL

I am not a bug person- I was shelling corn one time and found a worm in there and about threw it through a window LOL I guess it is part of the deal though- bugs are better than chemicals I suppose. Vinegar is acidic enough that it kills a LOT of different microbes and can get the buggies out of there too!

[BeadedGraces]

Yea, I couldn't eat a bug...ever...just...no. :p So true too...if there are bugs..we know it is without harmful chemicals. Picked up another lot of co-op yesterday and just started cleaning the lettuce right away...becoming second nature...the kids got a kick out of the line up of lettuce leafs on a towel in the kitchen...fun...

[Raene]

Mmm...bugs! What a tasty protein boost. Just joking.
I always find bugs on the organic kale and broccoli. They're little white ones. Lately I prefer just blending up my food so I don't see them, b/c ignorance can be bliss...lol. But yeah, they're icky. Try the vinegar trick, that sometimes works.

[adaora]

i thought i was losing it. this morning i was preppin for a gs and when i pulled out the kale there were tons of those teeny tiny buggies all over the leaves. they give me the heebiegeebies. im cringing at the thought. i guess im just gonna have to go the glove and vinegar route w/ cleaning.

i opted for a romaine smoothie instead.