Organic Vs. Local

I would like to share some thoughts on organic and local foods. The term organic first being used in the context of farming is attributed to Lord Northbourn in his 1940 book "Look To The Land". It set forth the notion that the farm itself, the soil is a living entity, a living organism. I like the notion that not just the plants and animals in our eco-system are alive but everything is, the soil, the air, the water...it's all dependent on the other components. The British Victorian era social commentator John Ruskin equated the pollution of the planet that he witnessed at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution with the pollution of the spirit and morality of man. That to allow the destruction of the very planet we need to live on due to the pursuit of profit was a form of insanity in the minds of men. There is something to said for this observation. If the planet becomes uninhabitable, no amount of money will save you. Most thinking people would agree that there is potential for harm in consuming proteins, grains, seafood, fruits and vegetables that have been exposed to great amounts of chemicals and pesticides ( remember, pesticides do not just kill the harmful insects but all of them and more- read Rachel Carson's book "Silent Spring" for more insight). I admit that organic farming wont be the end all to remedying the world's problems..yet, the ideals that are promoted can greatly benefit the health of our planet and therefore ourselves. With this in mind, where does "local" fit in and how does it compare to organic? The generally approved range of "local" food is 100-150 miles from the foodsource to the consumer. The Italians have a wonderful philosophy for food called Campanilisimo, which means that if the food product, cheese, bread, lamb, pasta, etc. is produced outside of the sound of your local church bell tower then it's not local. If you go to buy a spring lamb and while on the farm your watch reads noon but you can't hear the bell from your neighborhood then it's not local! Beautiful! So, here's something to consider, the Pacific Northwest is world famous for it's quality of berries-raspberries, blackberries, loganberries, marionberries, strawberries..well, you get the picture. There are some restuaranteurs and chefs who think it's necessary to have at least some form of berry on the menu year round.If it's a decent place these are usually organic. Here is the issue..sure, it's organic, great..however, it came here on a big ol' diesel guzzling semi all the way from California. Any good that was derived from it being organic ( more Earth friendly) was negated by it's journey here. Another point, most local farmers, while embracing chemical free farming practices simply dont have the resources to become officially certified organic. When you buy local, the money stays in your community and makes your community stronger. As a chef or conscious consumer you can actually meet the people responsible for your food. Several farmers I know have certain days in the harvest when the public is welcome to come and see how things really operate. Heck, if you pitch in or buy something they might even feed you if it's lunch time. Plus, farmers are a great source for quick and easy ways to cook their goods. So, I would say that when the product is truly in season, go organic if you can, and at the same time you can never go wrong with local, which will always be seasonal. Eat well, drink well and share your table with your friends.