We are fortunate in Chico to have access to food items that are not only purchasable in bulk (BYO bag, bottle, or jar), but are also local in origin. Growers such as Greg Massa (organic rice from Hamilton City) also often further discount their product for local consumers.
Here are some local-origin (within 25 miles) bulk items that I commonly purchase from S&S and Chico Natural Foods:
Massa Organic Rice
Lundberg Organic Rice
Chaffin Olive Oil
Tin Roof Granola
Almonds
Pecans
Walnuts
About Me: Jeremy wears many hats, including substitute teacher, school garden educator, hike leader, youth group advisor, Gardener's Swap Meet coordinator, husband, and father. His lifelong quests include the search for the perfect burrito, and more recently, how to sprout an avocado tree from a pit.
Greg charges way too much, can't afford to pay $7 for a little bag of rice, not the way my family goes through the stuff. We even make our dog food out of rice. We buy Cal Rice, in a huge bag, for about a quarter of what Massa charges.
We use to be purists like you. God, when I think of the money I spent, I wish I had it back now! But as soon as our kids got into the double digits, they were eating so much, we couldn't afford organic anymore. The organic farmers and sellers are taking advantage and gouging.
A 13 year old needs between 2400 and 3600 calories a day. It's hard enough to get kids to eat wholesome foods, without adding the extra expense of organic. And I'm betting, "organic" means alot less than it used to.
I grew up with the Massas. I'm sure they are trustworthy. But I think they are also finding out that their lifestyle is damned expensive, and they are passing their lifestyle costs, not the cost of producing the rice, onto the consumer.
The cost of organic rice, even Greg Massa's, will almost always be more than purchasing conventional rice. As we both know, this is the case with most organic products.
I wouldn't go so far as to say I am a purist, but my wife and I have prioritized local and/or organic food--to the extent that we can--for a number of reasons. Yes, this choice can be expensive. We try to make up for some of it with other choices we have made, some small and some big, such as accelerating slowly from stops to save on gas (or biking), or working to potty train our daughter earlier to save on diapering expenses. We also believe that eating organic is a healthier choice than the alternative, and thus serves as preventative medicine to head off potential medical expenses down the road.
I agree with you that "organic" is indeed a term that should be looked at with a healthy dose of skepticism. Organic honey, for example, is pretty much a load of crock--Who can control where the bees go? Also, I think it wise to be wary of organics coming in from other countries.
But I have been out to Greg Massa's farm. And Chaffin Family Orchards. And Pyramid Farms. And a few of the Hmong farms. I do trust the authenticity of Greg's product. And while it is does indeed cost more than Cal Rice, I know where the money is going. I see hundreds of pounds of Massa's rice being donated to numerous community events. I know his rice has found its way into cafeterias in at least two school districts at a competitive price. And I appreciate the beauty of his crop duster-free land, which also has value to us beyond aesthetics.
I am not familiar with the business practices or community involvement of Cal Rice.
As for the lifestyle of the Massa Family, I can't speak much to that, but I would check your notes before you make assumptions about the "expensive lifestyle" of a rice farmer.
Hi Juanita. Thanks for your comments. However, I would like to clear up some misconceptions you have.
Our rice is much more affordable than you say. A 2-lb bag of our organic brown rice costs just $3.50 at the Chico Farmers Market, and if you buy 2, it's only $3 each. A 20-lb bag costs $25, which is just $1.25 per pound. With 200 servings in a 20-lb bag, your per-serving cost is only 12.5 cents. I challenge you to find comparable calories, nutrition, and taste for your teenagers for 12.5 cents per serving. What does your breakfast cereal cost you?
I recently did a cost comparison of our rice with a non-organic medium grain brown rice at a local discount store. The cost difference was negligible (about a penny/serving)
There are also many costs associated with non-organic production methods that are not reflected in the price you pay for those items at the supermarket. For example, the Central Valley of California has a higher than normal incidence of Parkinson's Disease. This was recently directly linked to fungicides sprayed on many crops in the Valley, including almonds and grapes. People who handle or apply pesticides also have double the risk for MGUS, a blood disorder that is a precursor to multiple myeloma (cancer). A close relative of mine now has this disease. We all pay for these problems through higher medical costs.
We live and work on our farm. We charge a price for our rice that covers our production costs plus a reasonable profit. We see no reason to put our health (or yours) at risk so that you can save a penny or two per serving.
Our rice is Certified Organic by California Certified Organic Farmers, according to rules set down in federal law. Others may cheat; we do not. Our farm is open to you anytime you would like to see what we do and why. I would be happy to explain our growing practices, as well as the science and philosophy behind them.
Jeremy is right when he notes that we donate to many local organizations. In fact, we'll donate rice to just about any fundraiser who asks. We are proud that our organic brown rice is served to thousands of inner-city children every single day at Berkeley Unified School District. We are also proud that our name is found on the menus of many high-end restaurants locally and in the Bay Area. We charge our high end customers enough that we can afford to provide deep discounts to schools.
As for our "damned expensive lifestyle," I'm don't know where you get your information, and I'll leave it at that. Feel free to contact me if you wish to discuss.
Greg Massa
greg(AT)massaorganics(DOT)com
Web: http://www.MassaOrganics.com
Blog & Recipes: http://MassaOrganics.blogspot.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/MassaOrganics
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Massa-Organics/62527123190?ref=ts
The way I feel about it, the more you consume of a product, the more important it is to purchase food that is as low in pesticides and toxic chemicals as possible. We consume a great deal of brown rice, so I choose to spend slightly more on Greg's delicious, locally grown, organic brown rice. I savor every bite, knowing I am providing my family with a healthy grain (grass) that is high in nutrients and flavor, and low in toxic chemicals. I sleep better at night that way.
Debra Abbott
Chico, CA
As a small scale farmer on 10 acres, I understand the importance of pricing to both consumer and grower.
Greg sounds like he's got a great product at a great value.
As a farmer (not particularly wealthy), I believe in paying as much as the farmer needs for a product (to a certain limit of course - ex: I won't pay $8 for a dozen eggs). The less we pay for our food, the more we encourage consolidation and large scale farms to take over. Do any of us want that?
Probably not. The only benefit is the lower price. Other than that, the larger you get, the more (relative) land degradation occurs, pesticides are used, workers are used up, corporations make a killing, and water quatily degrades.
Now, I believe that we should offer fair prices for our food. Trust me on that one. But, the next time you see squash for $2/lb instead of $1.50, maybe that's the best thing. So, you might spend 500-$1000 more/year on fresh produce. How much is cable per year? How many cars do you have and how much does that cost? How big is the house?
I'm not saying to forsake anything. Just give an honest look at other expenses and you'll realize how Inexpensive all food is, even when it's, god-forbid, 100% more than the guy next door. If we really want to think in terms of: more farmers, not less; less chemicals, not more; healthier lives and happier minds; then, let's not grudgingly pay $5-$10 more per shopping trip for food - fooD!!! since it's the one, true necessity, you should get the best you can.