With Organic Farmer Markets, You KNOW Where Your Food Comes From

Posted by & filed under Food Philosophy, fruit, organic, organic produce, organic produce delivery.

How do you truly know where that meat in a box comes from at the grocery store? You don’t. For all you know, there could be more cardboard in there. And the words on the box don’t mean anything either. This is arguably the best advantage to those organic farmer markets is that there is no mystery — you practically see where your food comes from! You know exactly what you’re eating.

You Can, in Fact, Talk to the EXACT Person Who Grew the Food You Bought atorganic farmer markets-1 the Organic Farmer Markets!

Think about how valuable that really is! You’re the one eating those meals day in, day out — there’s security in safety knowing that someone, someone reputable, grew that food. Whether it’s milk, or cheese, or meat, or all sorts of crops.

Well-known CUESA actually highlights all organic farmer markets with profiles, articles and even maps for you to access and find those golden nuggets of truth in the culinary world, so don’t believe in the myth that it’s too hard to find them. Yes, it’s more convenience pulling your car up into the massive parking lot of your closest grocery store chain, but a few extra miles wouldn’t hurt to then pull up to your local organic farmer markets in the Bay Area, knowing exactly what you’re buying, and who you’re buying it from.

Instantly, Your Health Skyrockets

And who knew it was all because you’re well aware of what you’re putting into your body. Makes sense. There’s no better way to know than to actually hear it from the one who provided it. Right in person. Verbally.

Organic farmer markets are personalized. Real. Simple. And it’s all about people. Not boxes, brands or logos. That’s why Golden Gate Organics partners with all of them in the Bay Area, and you should SIGN UP FOR DELIVERY RIGHT NOW!

Be in the know.

Farmer Markets Love Their Animals SO Much, and Here’s Why

Posted by & filed under Food Philosophy, organic, organic produce, organic produce delivery, tips & tricks.

How happy those animals are directly affects how happy you are! Well, at least your belly. And your health. It’s true: farmer markets pride themselves in organically treating their animals the best possible way — this includes chickens as well as cows. The science is clear: healthier animals results in healthier meats and other products — like milk, eggs, cheese, and yes, beef.

Yes, It’s True: Farmer Markets Even Raise Their Animals to Be EATEN! (SHUDDER)

But here’s the thing — they’re treated humanely while raised on the farm. No hormones. No antibiotics. The cows graze on green grass, eating naturally. Their diets are organic. They’re free roaming, and so are their chickens. In essence…. These animals are beyond happy (and, of course, don’t realize that they’re going to be dinner one day).

farmer markets cows

For those who think that organic food has to be non-meat or all vegan, they’re sorely mistaken. Of course, Golden Gate Organics is all about the veggies and fruits, but did you know that you can even get cheese, milk and eggs from us? Only organically. That’s the key.

Why Does Traditional Farming Not Implement What Farmer Markets Do?

The answer’s pretty obvious when you think about it — convenience, supply, large quantities. The fact is the industry requires heavy loads of products, and in order for traditional farming establishments to provide just that, they have to resort to all those means of production — cages, lots, antibiotics to build up the value of their meats.

More means better. And farmer markets are the other way around: less is best.

This Is Why Golden Gate Organics Supports Farmer Markets Above All Else

SIGN UP FOR DELIVERY RIGHT NOW, and you’ll see that ‘less is best’ in a big way. Technically, it’s not ‘less’, though. You get more. More quality. So just in case you’re not vegan, there’s still something for you at GGO. And know those animals had the opportunity to live like kings on the range!

Why Diversity in the Supermarket Has Become More About Brands and Not Beauty

Posted by & filed under organic, organic produce, organic produce delivery, tips & tricks.

Options: that’s what it’s all about. Except when it comes to the Bay Area supermarket, the options have become commercialized. You’re not looking at ‘food’ anymore. You’re looking at boxes, brands, logos, slogans. Instead you’re looking at a ‘product’ that happens to have some kind of ‘food’ in it that may or may not be directly from a farm wholeheartedly and passionately growing what our bellies love so much.

That’s What the Supermarket Lacks: Real Diversity

Or biodiversity is what it would be called from an organic foods standpoint. The reason why farmers markets stand out above the rest in conventional agriculture and a society built around brands and aisles at the local grocery chain is that real diversity is aplenty among those baskets:

  • Red Carrots
  • All Sorts of Rainbow Heirloom Tomatoesnot supermarket produce-1
  • Purple Cauliflower
  • Stinging Nettles
  • Green Garlic
  • Watermelon Radishes
  • Quail Eggs
  • Maitake Mushrooms

Some of this stuff you might not have heard of (I, personally, haven’t either), but we assure you: farmer markets have them. Supermarkets do not. And that’s a major disadvantage to those chains out there.

That’s what gives you the options — not brands or boxes. Diversity from am agricultural food aspect nourishes the body and mind, diversifies your diet, and treats you to something more than just nutrition. It’s fun! It’s fun exploring all the differences food — especially organic food — has to offer.

And You Can’t Get That From a Supermarket

Ask us at Golden Gate Organics about a lot of the rarities in farmer’s foods you’ll find. We’ll see what we can do! Organic groceries really is all about discovery. Food needs to excite us, honestly. After all: what we put in to ourselves ultimately will be what we are. We don’t want to be ‘branded’. We want to be DIVERSE and EXCITING.

SIGN UP FOR DELIVERY WITH GGO RIGHT NOW.

4 Reasons Why Bay Area Farmer Market Foods Outdo Grocery Stores

Posted by & filed under fruit, organic, organic produce, organic produce delivery, tips & tricks.

Aside from the fact that you have the best tasting and most natural stuff on the planet with organic produce from a farmer’s market, here’s the main reasons why we’re benefiting our bodies: not only are Bay Area farmer market foods made naturally, but without any added practices tainting those foods. The agricultural business is such that it practically requires certain methods to protect the food while it’s grown, while it’s packaged, while it’s distributed, and to ensure freshness. But in the long run, those methods most likely are a detriment to your own body!

 Here’s Why Bay Area Farmer Market Foods Maximize Your Health Beyond That of Your Natural Nutrients

Processing. Simply put, when you go to that grocery store in California, you’re buying processed food. At a farmer’s market, processing is kept to a bare minimum

farmer market foods not here-1

(if that). It’s numero uno when it comes to farmer market foods and organic produce when you think about it. What you’re getting when you buy and ingest those processed foods are:

  • Pesticides
  • Hormones
  • Antibiotics
  • GMOs
  • Irradiation
  • Waxing
  • Gassing

And that’s actually seven reasons (not four)! The purposes for these practices are obvious — to protect the produce in their long journey from conventional agricultural harvesting to packaging to distribution and merchandising. We’re the losers in that process, though, and farmer market foods simplifies it all.

You get the food right from the ground.

Make It a Point to Always Support Those Bay Area Farmers When You Can

Because ultimately you’re benefiting your body in ways you haven’t thought of. Want the best picks for delivery from us? There’s no doubt: YOU CAN SIGN UP FOR DELIVERY RIGHT HERE. Golden Gate Organics supports your farmers as well. So don’t hesitate to not only get the goods you want for your body, but the bads you definitely don’t want as well.

Why Buying Organic Produce From Family Farmer Markets Nourishes the Environment

Posted by & filed under fruit, organic, organic produce, organic produce delivery.

There’s been a lot of talk in the industry about some of the latest trends out there — namely genetically-grown meat, or “cultured meat.” Nothing against that at all, because there’s a lot of value to that agricultural technology, not to mention that hydroponics also presents similar benefits. The main value is obvious: we’re not using the actual land as much! Which is fine: to each their own. However, when it comes to the environment, however which way we present organic food that is sustainable here in the Bay Area of California, one thing’s for certain — supporting those organic farmer markets out there contributes to the environment, and here’s why:

When Buying From a Farmer’s Market, Logistics Plays a Big Role in the Environment

Think about distribution for a bit here. Just how much travel does produce have to make just to make it to the farmer’s market? Not much. This minimizes the impact on the environment in a lot of ways —

  • Less Use of Fossil Fuelsenvironment-1
  • Less Pollution
  • Minimal Trash for Extra Packaging
  • Less By-Product Development

On paper, it looks minimal at best, but in practice — this is huge. Conventional agriculture in the Bay Area typically results in some of those toxins producing pollution in water, land and air. Something the Earth doesn’t want. Because those farmers markets transport their produce in baskets, you’ll notice that in general there’s no packaging involved — less trash, less of a problem.

Of course, keep in mind that the major distribution industry of groceries and agriculture relies on some major trucking facilities and a lot of transport. Stores need their product. People deliver it. A lot of fossil fuel ends up in the atmosphere. It’s just the way it works. Want to know just how many miles the average truck travels to get food onto your plate? A hefty 1.5K miles on average. That’s just for you.

Multiply that figure with any number of people at any given time in any grocery store, and the number may make you faint.

Our Earth Deserves Better Than That

This is why it’s so important to support those family farmer markets out there. The impact on the environment is minimal even though without a doubt we’re working the land. We get it. The more we work the land, the more the environment is ‘affected’, but more often than not, it’s ‘affected’ positively.

This is why Golden Gate Organics does have specific routing for you and your deliveries. We don’t just care about you and your organic produce. We care about the Earth delivering that produce to you as well. SIGN UP TODAY AND GET STARTED WITH YOUR OWN DELIVERIES!

Why Bay Area Family Farmers Need Your Massive, Awesome Loyalty

Posted by & filed under fruit, organic, organic produce, organic produce delivery, tips & tricks.

Yes, we’re biased. Chances are pretty good you won’t find us in a grocery store chain. But here’s the thing — those Bay Area family farmers have a challenge on their hands! — the fact is large agribusiness dominates food production in the U.S. by a substantial margin, for good reason. Distribution, availability, lower prices, options, longevity. The list goes on and on. It’s just plain easier for families to shop at the big megastores with the aisles and the multiple payment options versus finding that hole in the wall or corner farmer’s market, right?

Food Service Establishments Currently Sit at Almost a $1 Trillion Industry

Stores out there aren’t too far off either, bringing in a healthy $600 billion+.

Now wouldn’t you like to know just where traditional agricultural farming sits at? Just under $200 billion.

We know, we know…. That’s still a massive amount of money. But when we’re talking about the local farmer in a market already inundated with other farmers, stores and services in an industry well over $1 trillion worth in the GDP, there’s quite a bit of competition there. Not to mention we’re localizing only a small portion of the United States in the Bay Area, a region relatively healthy with family farmers. So it’s pretty clear:

Supporting Those Bay Area Family Farmers Is a MUST

The obvious reasons being all the cuts and percentages. When you buy directly from a farm, all profit goes to those hardworking harvesters. Buy from a store, and a lot of markups account for the cost of distribution, packaging, storing, merchandising and selling of the product, leaving not much room for the farmer’s ROI. Sure, the deals are secure and an easy fit for a lot of farmers, but with little profit going to the work they do to bring the wholesome foods to society like they’ve done for generations.

Which is why when you SIGN UP FOR GOLDEN GATE ORGANICS DELIVERY, we only work with Bay Area family farmers and other organic establishments! Keeping it in the family, man….

Appreciate the 3 Seasons of Fresh Farmer Market Food

Posted by & filed under fruit, organic, organic produce, organic produce delivery, tips & tricks.

These days, seasonal foods sort of mesh together for obvious reasons — it’s so easy to get those foods thanks to preservatives, packaging, and other such factors. You can enjoy pumpkin recipes during the summer, for instance; asparagus can be enjoyed throughout winter without a problem. And while many like the convenience, something gets lost in the joy of food, and we’re willing to bet a lot of foodies of the Bay Area, CA, enjoy food more than the convenience!

The Best Part About Fresh Farmer Market Food Is That It’s SEASONAL

That means you only get those foods you love in the seasons which they’re known. We get it, though. You want all of it. Now. All the time. And you can! But the glory and beauty of farmer market food, whole foods, organic foods, is that you get those foods during the season, and you can appreciate them best associated with that season. Think about it.

What’s hot apple cider best with? A cold autumn day. Fresh eggs, scallions and leeks? You think of Spring and morning dew. And don’t even get me started on avocados and cucumbers during the summer days. It just speaks of fresh by miles and miles.farmer market food seasons

Those foods you love evoke a passion for the season. And, truthfully, based on how those foods are prepared make sense in relation to that season. Keep that in mind.

So here’s a breakdown of each season and why fresh farmer market food’s best:

  • Spring — This is the turning point where cold meets warmth, breaking away from winter and echoing the sentimentality of that freshness of the rain, and the coolness of the skin…but without the burrs! That’s why veggies tend to be very popular in this season, like asparagus, onions, sweet peas, kale, rhubarb and shallots. You can often find a variety of ways to utilize these veggies, either hot or cold, without a problem. That’s really what Spring’s all about. It’s the transition. The new birth!
  • Summer — We’re now in the heat. The heart. We’re brining. or making salads, and nothing beats picnics or beach outings than with stuff like blueberries, hot peppers, cucumbers, avocados, arugula, and mushrooms. Think smoothies, man. Cold and refreshing going down. All sorts of fuzzy fruits, too! (Can you say peaches?). Fresh watermelon. Have I harnessed your attention, yet? Mouth watering, yet? If not, it will.
  • Autumn — Roasted pumpkin seeds, ginger pumpkin soup. Hot, spicy, cinnamon apple cider. Holy cow that just makes the sudden temp drop that much more bearable when you think about it. This is the season for Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, roasted cabbage, butternut squash stew, and roasted carrots, right? Preparing for the cold winter. Nothing’s better than that roasting oven heating up the home as the leaves fall from the trees and change color.

You enjoy all of the goodies throughout the year and not just when you have a hankering for them. But the best part? When you enjoy them when they’re best…you can taste the difference!

Hence Why There’s a Reason for Eating Those Seasonal Farmer Market Foods

You’re not thrilling at the favorites unless they’re at their best. That’s why those favorites of yours grow and get harvested at specific times. So take note: absence makes the heart grow fonder, so while you’re in any specific season, enjoy the season. And the farmer market foods that come with it. While you’re at it…SIGN UP FOR GOLDEN GATE ORGANICS DELIVERY AND MAKE IT EVEN EASIER ON YOURSELF! 

Your Bay Area Farmers Markets Bring the REAL Flavor, and Here’s Why

Posted by & filed under Food Philosophy, fruit, organic, organic produce, organic produce delivery, tips & tricks.

It’s no secret that we love our farmers markets out there. Heck, we at Golden Gate Organics partner with them. But what makes the farmers market that much better than, say, a grocery store chain? Is it the down-to-earth feel, the European ambiance of a basket of fresh goodies? Or is it something more….

The Truth Is the Bay Area Farmers Markets Out There Have the Best Flavor, for Obvious ReasonsBay Area farmers market-1

This isn’t a biased look at why organics or whole foods are better than the processed stuff you see in the whitewashed aisles. Rather, there’s real science built in to this, and you can’t replicate it. You can experiment for yourself as well and realize that somehow, some way, farmers market quality seems to outdo grocery store quality by miles and miles. There’s a reason for it:

Fruits veggies you find in a farmer’s market are immediately ripe. That’s because those fruits and veggies take their time out in the field to ripen like they should. When it comes to a grocery store chain, you’ve got to worry about long-distance shipping, storage time, and even gassing to simulate the ripening process. The logistics of the produce industry is such that nature can’t take its course and imbue itself with the organic flavors you’d love out of a strawberry or banana.

At a farmer’s market, those fruits and veggies earned their time to be sold and eaten — right there in the field. There’s no distribution, packaging, or boxing them up, waiting for days for the truck to arrive, preservatives, and other factors that could otherwise taint the flavor of something meant to be enjoyed right from the ground.

It’s Not Easy, of Course — We Get It

But with Golden Gate Organics, we make it pretty easy for you. We’re your channel into the Bay Area farmers markets out there, making it that much more convenient for you to get the access you want right at your door. With those farmers markets, it’s a guessing game, or a dartboard, and you’re blindfolded. You never know what you’re going to get when you show up, and you always want the best of the best, because the best of the best are at those farmers markets with the great taste.

You’ve got to get them quick. How do you do that? YOU SIGN UP FOR DELIVERY RIGHT NOW!

The Very Real Conspiracy Theory of the “Fake” Organic Food Market

Posted by & filed under organic, organic produce, organic produce delivery, produce report, weekly update.

We’re going to regret this, honestly. But we owe it to our potential customers wanting their organic groceries like champs. It’s a fact that the organic food industry is growing substantially to the point that we’re talking about a $40,000,000,000 organic food market. More and more people are simply buying organic food. The question remains, and some might not even consider it anymore, because it’s easy to look at a label and say, “Oh, YES, this is organic, because it says so on the box” at your local grocery store chain:organic food market-1

Are Your Organic Groceries Truly Organic?

Sadly…. The short answer to that question is NO. Most likely, a lot of the brands you find at your grocery store chain are not. Scary thought, yes, and just another reason to sign up for convenient delivery with Golden Gate Organics, 100% certified, local, and guaranteed (without putting any “stamp” on a box). The proof is in our process….

Enough about us, though.

We know what you’re thinking. It’s a ‘conspiracy theory’. The backlash of a burgeoning market seeing huge returns opts for a lot of questions asked and some turning heads going “IS THIS FOR REAL?”, especially from the traditional markets trying to still make a buck and fight for a piece of that organic/non-organic/non-GMO pie, just to try and stay relevant. Who knew the agricultural/food industry was so cutthroat?

There is proof that when you buy that gallon of “organic” milk, and you look at the label, you’re looking at a “lie.” Potentially. And here’s just a few reasons why the proverbial organic food market rug has been pulled out from under us:

4 Reasons Why We Might Need to Question Our Organic Groceries

Be prepared. The news here might be a little shocking, especially since you might be shopping at any of these well-known stores or buy any of these well-known “organic food” brands. The good news is you have a way out of this: right here at GGO. Until then, though, read on, faithful reader:

No panicking, though. Yes, it seems like we’re shooting ourselves in the foot over an organic food market getting more and more popular. The demand gets so high that brands scramble to find a way, an easy ‘fix’, into satisfying the market. The quality gets lost, though, as you can see.

The Solution, However, Is Simple, in Improving the So-Called Organic Food Market by Employing Another Burgeoning Trend in Groceries:

organic food market-2We hate to toot our own horn, but it’s pretty self-explanatory — organic food delivery. Which we do. Since we’re cutting out the middle man, the retail politics and whatnot, and keeping it all local, family-oriented, and truly 100% certified to the teeth, there’s no way around it.

We can’t even be scrutinized. We’re ironclad. The only thing is we currently deliver within specific area codes in the Bay area of California. So if you want our produce, you may just have to move to those particular areas in CA! It’s nice over here. We’d love to promote and advertise for real estate, but that’s just not our thing.

That’s Very Much the Current Challenge of an Organic Food Market Struggling to Avoid All the Hypocrisy:

To stay truly organic, we have to stay truly local. We have to maintain local regulations. And it’s all connected. Each region, each city, each state, must have its own local source. We have to get this done together.

This shouldn’t be like an arms race, or a competitive trend for chains so possessed with profits and a wave of demand that’s so commercial all over the country. This is about just supplying our great country with wholesome organic food everyone can have. Organic food delivery is one of the best ways to do it, at least currently. Maybe one day the entire food market system can find a way to be the same.

Well…. Sadly…. We guess everyone has to just opt for simple grocery delivery from GOLDEN GATE ORGANICS, right? We know. Such a hassle!

Why Wal-Mart, Costco — and the USDA — Are Facing Heat for Organic Brand Fraud

Posted by & filed under organic, organic produce, organic produce delivery, produce report, weekly update.

Make no mistake, friends — we’re talking about a very serious problem in the organic food industry when well-known brands like Wal-Mart, Costco — and even worse, the USDA — start seeing problems with organic food rule violations starting to crop up. It’s not even intended to smear the reputations of such brands, but here’s the thing: it’s pretty darn hard to keep regulations going for a market that’s so huge and tied together. Here. We’ll explain:

Aurora Organic Dairy Is the Supposed Culprit for Obvious Reasons: the Cows in Which Their Products Come From

Wal-Mart and Costco are particularly known for their major milk supplier, Aurora Organic Dairy, but it turns out that the company was found to violate rules of organic food policy in organic milk production for one obvious reason. Their cows aren’t organic either. The milk might go through the organic process, but the cows aren’t grass-fed or even free from antibiotics due to sickness or other debilitating conditions that would otherwise be naturally occurring or even genetic.USDA organic food market-1

It’s understandable, obviously. You want to maintain milk production, you do what you can, your cows can’t always be free of radicals or whatnot, and the ultimate underlying truth is that as long as you produce a quality product, ensure you don’t add any non-organics into that product, technically, your milk can still be considered organic and stamped with an approval from the USDA.

Call it a “domino effect” if you will. Sure, the cows — and the beef going with it — wouldn’t be organic in quality. This ultimately means the milk they produce won’t be as well, and there’s no way around it. Even if the milk is still natural. It’s still not considered organic, and here’s why:

Aurora Organic Dairy Was Actually Tested to Measure Their Organic Milk for Two Specific Fats

Grass-fed, completely organic, cows have one differentiated characteristic — their milk represents two essential fats not found in conventional milk. After testing, it turned out that Aurora Organic dairy products were missing those two essential fats for the most part. Bad news on the part of the USDA, which should be on the up-and-up as far as inspections to ensure that their label, their “organic quality” is what it says it is.

The fact is the USDA’s stretched beyond belief already. They rely on what has been called an “unusual system of inspections” relying on a “private inspector” approved by the organization and left to its own devices. It’s not enough when you have a huge supply chain of more than 31K farms and businesses all over the world.

The USDA has only 82 certified inspection firms. That’s it. You can see now that it’s not enough. Some inspections will undoubtedly miss the mark, and brands like Aurora Organic Dairy suffer — and consequently, so will we (and retail brands like Wal-Mart and Costco will suffer, too!).

It’s a Sad Fact for the Organic Food Market and the USDA, But What Do You Expect?

The organic food market is growing at an alarming rate. And we’re all struggling to catch up. Including the USDA. The great news is you can avoid all of that by signing up for Golden Gate Organics. You want true organic-quality groceries for your kitchen? You can get it right here. We can only hope great brands like Aurora Organic Dairy, Wal-Mart, Costco — and, of course, the USDA — can catch up as well as the market continues to swell.