Sustainable San Marcos

Last Friday night found me at the San Marcos Public Library watching a very enlightening documentary film entitled, The Future of Food, by Deborah Koons Garcia. The film was hosted by Edible San Marcos, a new organization promoting local food and gardening. For those of you interested in learning more about organic gardening, local farmer’s markets, community gardens, bee hives, seed exchanges, and much more, they will meet at the library on the 2nd Monday of the month. Their next meeting will be Sept. 15, 2008. For more info, you can check out their site at htt://ediblesanmarcos.wikispaces.com The film was very informative and after exposing the fact that large corporations are now growing most of our wheat, corn, and soybeans with genetically altered strains, we saw the hope and the power of the American consumers who are demanding more organic products, and non-engineered foods. And we learned that these so-called “super foods” aren’t so super after all;in fact, they are banned in certain countries like Canada and Japan, and in the European Common Market, ALL gene altered products must be clearly labeled as such..We have no such requirement in this country…You have to ask yourself why is it that in our own country where genetic alterations were developed, the FDA did not require human trials or even labeling before allowing them to be used by such companies as General Mills, Nabisco, etc. The good news is because of the popularity of locally grown produce, organic farming is a booming industry. Consumers are turning to organic products and non-gene altered farm produce in droves! In our own area (in a 40 mile radius) we have 13 Farmer’s weekly markets! For a complete list, go to http://edibleaustin.com and buy local whenever you can and support these wonderful individuals in their efforts to provide us with a safe alternative to genetically altered food products. And as for me, I am going to try my hand at growing some wonderful arugala and butter lettuce with the free seeds that I was given by Edible San Marcos and I will definitely see you around at the Wimberley Farmer’s Market held every Wednesday afternoon out on FM 2325 … See you there!

And for a delightful treat, take yourself and family out to the Smiley Dog Farm, a natural vegetable farm located just 10 miles southeast of San Marcos in Martindale, Tx. where they offer weekly bags of freshly picked pesticide free locally grown vegetables! For more visit their website at www.smileydogfarm.com