this time ~ this space

The Union of Concerned Scientists is excited to bring you a brand new seasonal web feature—Green Cuisine: Earth-friendly, healthy recipes from top chefs and local farmers.

Green Cuisine will profile local chef-farmer partnerships and the creative, healthy, sustainable dishes that result from these collaborations.

For summer, the spotlight is on delicious and juicy farm-fresh tomatoes, as prepared by visionary chef Nora Pouillon of the celebrated (and certified organic) Restaurant Nora in Washington, DC. Check out our interactive photo slideshow, and get a FREE summer recipe from Nora.

Nora’s Shopping Tips
Buy organic – With an organic restaurant standard to maintain, this is Nora’s first priority. “Organic food is better for the environment and for people’s health,” she maintains. That’s because certified organic food is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations. It is grown without conventional pesticides, synthetic fertilizers or sewage sludge, and genetic engineering. Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals raised without antibiotics or growth hormones. Growers who want to label and sell foods as organic must have their farms inspected by government-approved certifiers, and their methods must meet the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s organic standards.

Buy locally – If you have access to organic foods that are also grown locally, so much the better. Most supermarket foods travel more than 1,500 miles to get to your dinner plate, so buying from local farmers at farmers markets or through a community-supported agriculture program (CSA) can help shrink your “carbon footprint.” Fresh foods grown close to home often require less fuel to ship, and many small-scale, local farmers also use fewer energy-intensive pesticides and fertilizers. Local produce is also fresher and better tasting because it’s picked ripe and usually sold within hours. Even Nora sometimes buys from local farmers who are not certified organic, but only if she knows them and trusts that their methods approach or exceed organic standards. “I like to meet and talk with the farmers at the farmers market,” she says. “When you know the farmers and their practices, you can buy confidently.”

Buy in season (and save!) – The freshest, tastiest foods—even organic foods—don’t have to be more expensive. In a recent survey in Tulsa, Oklahoma, prices of locally grown fruits and vegetables compared favorably with supermarket prices for the same items. Nora recommends buying locally-grown items at the height of their season, when they are most abundant and prices are lowest. Save even more by getting together with friends and neighbors to buy in large quantities. “Make and freeze an extra-large batch of fresh tomato sauce in late summer when local tomatoes are a bargain,” Nora says. “You’ll enjoy a taste of summer all winter long.”

Organic beats no-till in building quality soil
A new study by the federal Agricultural Research Service has demonstrated that organic farming builds soil organic matter better than conventional no-till farming, challenging the belief that no-till is the best farming option for soil health and carbon sequestration. Organic farming traditionally employs minimal tillage to control weeds and incorporate manure, while conventional no-till farming avoids tillage altogether and often relies upon applications of herbicides to control weeds.

Tilling a field, or stirring up the ground to kill weeds and facilitate planting, can destroy soil organic matter important for growing crops. However, the new study demonstrates that the use of manure and cover crops in organic farming more than offsets the soil losses from tillage. In addition, the organic soil in the studied fields contained more carbon and nitrogen than the no-till soil. After nine years of organic production, the organic soil supported an 18 percent increase in corn yield over the no-till soil. Read more from the Agricultural Research Service.