20th May 2007

Walking to the Store & Buying Organic

Yesterday, I wrote about sustainable lifestyle.  It’s sad that it’s a challenge to walk to the grocery store to buy some organic milk.  How many of you would walk four city blocks to get your groceries on a Sunday night?

If I was in a town that this was the norm, I wouldn’t say it was a challenge.  I walked everywhere in St. Petersburg & Moscow, Stockholm, Boston, London, Washington, D.C., Olde Towne Alexandria, but the northwest side of Columbus?  Hardly.

It was the first time I walked to the grocery store to buy some milk on this side of town.  Walking to the store is good on three counts.  You buy only what you need, because you don’t want to carry it home.  You get exercise.  And, you don’t contribute much in the way of a carbon footprint.

To further the sustainable lifestyle, I planted my first-ever organic vegetable container garden.  I’ve got three different types of lettuce, bush-crop cucumbers, two kinds of eggplant, four or more kinds of tomatoes, including yummy Roma tomatoes, basil, and marigolds, which are supposed to ward off aphids.

Yesterday I could not find organic container soil for vegetables.  I did find it today  at Plantland on Sawmill Road.  Miracle Gro makes it, it’s called Organic Choice.   It was also a whopping $10.99 a bag, and it was just 16 quarts of fluffy air-pumped organic soil.  It says it’s all natural Organic.  Does organic soil need to be Certified Organic?

Challenge Yourself -  Walk to get your groceries at least once or twice a week.  Walk to something nearby, that typically you’d drive to, even though it’s close.

Plant an organic container garden - grow your own produce locally - even if it’s on your deck.

I’ll post pictures in the coming days.  I have to work now.

Helpful Resources - Organic Gardening

Companion Planting with Herbs and Plants

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