Root Cellar

Caesar Salad is a timeless classic and when made right it can be one of the most delicious salads you have ever experienced. The great thing about the Caesar is it can be made into a full meal itself with an added protein and some tasty homemade croutons. Below is a step by step with some video demonstration of how to make a Roasted Chicken Caesar with many local and organic ingredients.

Be sure to check out our three demonstration videos after the recipe directions.

Chicken

1.     Roast a Local Buttonwood or Country Neighbors Specialty Meats Whole Chicken with you choice of savory herbs, Organic Real Salt, and Frontier Black Pepper

a.     Add Colavita Organic Balsamic Vinegar under the chicken to add a hint of smoky balsamic flavor

b.     Preheat oven to 350. Roast 20 minutes per pound and add an extra 20 minutes to time

c.      Let the chicken cool and then shred into medium size chunks

  2.     Croutons; Slice Uprise Bakery Sourdough Bread into ½ inch cubes

a.     In a large bowl toss bread cubes while drizzling Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil into the bowl

b.     Continue to toss; sprinkle Frontier Black Pepper and Garlic Powder.

c.      Lay out cubes on a cooking sheet and sprinkle some Organic Real Salt over the bread cubes

d.     Bake at 450 for 5 to 7 minutes or until a light golden color; watch carefully so they do not burn

3.     Dice the 2 bunches of Local Garlic and muddle with 3/4 tube of Crown Prince Anchovy Paste and add to a large bowl

4.     Coddle 2 local Weiler eggs; you can microwave the bowl of water for a 1 ½ minutes to bring up to coddling temperature

a.     Then crack and separate the yolks and add the 2 yolks to the large bowl

Continue adding to the large bowl with the following:

5.     Add a tablespoon of Annie’s Dijon Mustard

6.     Squeeze ½ of a large Fresh Organic Lemon; keep out those seeds

7.     Add a tablespoon of Annie’s Worchestershire Sauce

8.     Add 3/4 cup of Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil; using real Italian Olive Oil is important for the Caesar flavor

9.     Add 1/8 cup Colavita Age Red Wine Vinegar

10.   Mix contents of the large bowl very well; then use a spoon to help pour the dressing over the greens

a.     Many different Greens can be used in a Caesar; Local Romaine Lettuce will make a Classic Caesar

b.     Feel free to mix many Local Greens into the Caesar such as: Arugula, Kale, Sorrel, Spinach, Spring Mix, Iceberg, and/or Butter/Boston Lettuce

c.      Add greens until the taste is right for you. Some like a strong Caesar and some like it more on the mild side

11.   Use 2 large spoons to toss the salad; then add 1 tub of Organic Valley Parmesan Cheese, your homemade croutons, and the Roasted Chicken; toss the salad again

12.   Ready to serve; once on plate top it off with some more Organic Valley Parmesan Cheese and homemade croutons for a final touch

Be sure to check out the three videos below for a demonstration on separating the egg yolks, making/mixing the dressing, and mixing the whole salad together

The days are getting shorter, the mornings are filled with dew, and the smell of crisp leaves fill the air. It is officially Fall! Which means TONS of fall beer selections, but with so many different choices, who knows what to pick? Pumpkin ales, pumpkins stouts, imperials, Oktoberfests – the list goes on. Even we at the Root Cellar were getting overwhelmed with the options. In those circumstances there’s only one thing to do: blind taste test.

  The staff at Root Cellar embarked on this adventure together, blind taste testing six of our locally brewed pumpkin beers and four of our locally brewed Oktoberfests. Bottles were hidden from the tasters to eliminate all predispositions about certain brands or certain styles. For each beer we rated it based upon appearance, smell, taste, after taste, and drinkability. Here’s what we found out!

Pumpkins:

Mother’s Mr. Pumpkin – a bubbly beer with a light pumpkin and spice taste and a smooth, nutty aftertaste. Good choice for an introduction to pumpkin beers or if you don’t like very intense flavors.

O’Fallon’s Pumpkin – Raw pumpkin flavor with a bit of citrus. On the sweeter side of the pumpkin beer. This was Kadie, Justin, and Mandy’s favorite!

Urban Chestnut’s Count Orlak – Darker smokey flavor with hoppy caramely taste. Slight bitter and metallic aftertaste. Good for a sipping beer.

Piney River Sweet Potato Ale – Full flavor with a creamy mild taste. It has a very pie-like feel without the sweetness. Great for a middle ground between bold flavor and sweetness in pumpkin beers.

Crown Valley Imperial Pumpkin Smash – Heavier feel with a bold flavor. Strong cinnamon flavor followed by hints of pumpkin, vanilla, and coconut with a toasted aftertaste. If you like experimental pumpkin beers with a darker flavor, this one is perfect for you! This was Carrie and Chelsea’s favorite.  

O’Fallon’s Imperial Pumpkin – Very strong flavor with a brandy-like feel. The flavor mellows and evolves as it warms up, so leave it out of the fridge for a bit before drinking.

Our recommendations: If you like very pumpkin-y taste and don’t mind some sweetness, O’Fallon’s Pumpkin will treat you right. If you typically like darker brewed beers with less sweetness but bold flavor, Crown Valley’s Imperial Pumpkin Stout is good option. Don’t know what you would like? Try Piney River’s Sweet Potato Ale – it’s a good middle ground that we could all agree on.

Oktoberfests:

Morgan Street’s Oktoberfest – Very smooth flavor with a hint of sweetness. A light aftertaste combined with its mellow flavor makes it very drinkable.

Schlafly’s Oktoberfest – Light flavor; a bit more sweet, but not very complex. If you like lagers, this might be a good choice for you.

Boulevard’s Oktoberfest – Light flavor, less carbonated with a hit of spice in the aftertaste.

Urban Chestnut’s Oktoberfest – Very smooth, bright, crisp flavor with an effervescent feel. It has a very traditional German taste to it. This was Kadie, Chelsea, Jake, and Carrie’s favorite!

Our recommendations: Urban Chestnut’s Oktoberfest and Morgan Street’s Oktoberfest are both great beers with Urban Chestnut having a crisper feel and a smoother finish. Schlafly and Boulevard would be good economical options.

Community and food should always go hand and hand. We believe in creating a place where customers receive the freshest products straight from local family farms. It is great to know that this effort is in global stride. People all over the world have recognized for centuries the importance of a strong local food system, but now scientists, economists, and world leaders are coming to realize that family farming sustains communities. Even the United Nations caught on when they declared 2014 as "The International Year of Family Farming." Visit http://foodtank.com/news/2014/03/release-food-tank-by-the-numbers-family-fa… to learn more about current U.N. research supporting local food systems. 

[This is dirt now. Not soil. Bad dog.]

The truth is that many people do not think about soil unless it is making something dirty, which is a shame because soil is so cool! It is also vital to our existence. It filters ground water, it’s used in countless manufacturing processes, it’s a steady material to build on, and most relevantly to Root Cellar, it’s what the majority of our food is grown in! Globally, only 10.7 percent of our land is arable (or able to grow food), and this available land is already feeling the pressure of changing climates, urban sprawl, and degraded conditions. With this decreasing area, it is important to keep our soils healthy so that they can continue to offer environmental benefits. 

[As shown in this diagram from the World Resources Institute, much of the U.S. is at risk of soil degradation.]

What makes a healthy soil, then? This question is highly dependent on the type of soil and what it is being used for. Generally, for most vegetable and staple crops, a healthy soil is one that has relatively neutral pH, a balance of macro- and micro-nutrients, good water drainage, an active and diverse food web, and plenty of organic matter. In these conditions, most food crops will thrive, but it takes work and time to maintain all of these qualities.

[Healthy soil is a mix of a variety of components, and serves as a complete ecosystem that should be maintained.]

However, not all farming techniques preserve healthy soil. When it comes to soil management, the difference between traditional farming and organic or sustainable farming could not be more pronounced. In traditional farming, the general health of the soil is often overlooked in favor of greater yields. Traditional farmers often pile more additives into the soil to increase their harvest.

For example, if nutrients in the soil have been depleted after growing crops, traditional farmers typically spread synthetic fertilizers that balance only the nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in the soil. Those are only a few of the nutrients needed in healthy soil. They are also very liberal with broad-range synthetic herbicides and pesticides, which kill the pests disturbing their crops, but also a number of other insects that keep the soil food web in check. Frequent tilling practices and the barren soil left between crop seasons also break down the natural soil structure, and can lead to compacted soil that drains poorly or has a high rate of soil erosion. All of these traditional practices lead to the degradation of soil, and in extreme cases can result in desertification, which makes soil unusable for food production.  

[Here's an example of an often-used synthetic fertilizer, versus a more environmentally-conscious brand.]

On the other hand, organic and sustainable farmers typically view soil as a balanced system. Sustainable farmers try to add as much organic matter to the soil as possible because this improves nutrient availability and helps maintain a healthy soil structure. The organic matter can come in the form of compost, manure, fish emulsion, or a number of other options. Organic and sustainable farmers also take a different outlook on pest management. Instead of trying to get rid of a handful of pests, these farmers focus on balancing the soil food web and making sure that they have a diversity of insects, so that if a pest infects their crop, they’ll have natural predators close by. 

When that doesn’t work, as a last resort, many farmers will use organically derived pesticides, which don’t have the long-term environmental effects of synthetic varieties. Organic and sustainable farmers may also employ cover crops or reduce their tilling cycles to maintain soil structure. Collectively, these practices can improve soils and ensure their productivity for years to come. 

[Soil is an amazing, balanced system, as you can see hear!]

How can you help your body feel healthier? There are various detoxing methods that you can utilize in order to gain a better sense of well-being. We're often confronted with various kinds of health jargon, accompanied by little to no explanation. We're here to help with that! The options mentioned below often assist in removing harmful substances from within your body and/or your mind.  

Detoxing should be about adding the good and taking away the bad.  We highly recommend that you consult your primary physician before you begin a full detox program.  Different people may have different reactions to the methods suggested below, so there is no “one size fits all” approach to a detox.

Fasting:  Give your organs a rest and consume only liquids such as water, decaffeinated tea, or juices made from fresh organic vegetables and fruits.  Note: liquids such as alcohol or caffeine are discouraged.  Fasting offers a chance to rewire your taste buds, reset your digestive tract, and potentially deconstruct unwanted cravings. The length of your fast should be dependent on your current lifestyle and health condition.

Sweating: When you sweat, toxins can be expelled from your body.  Sweating can easily be accomplished through exercise, going to the sauna, or taking a steam bath.  Bacteria can be killed off in high-degree temperatures.

Raw foods:  Eating uncooked foods such as beets, radishes, broccoli, and cabbage can help with immunity, cleansing, and resetting your digestive tract. These foods act as catalysts for detoxification. When cooking with high heat, some of the nutrients in your food can be lost. For more information about a raw food cleanse, I recommend reading David Wolfe’s website.

Meditating: Focusing on the present moment often helps to alleviate stress and calm anxiety.  If sitting in silence isn’t your thing, we recommend starting with a guided meditation CD from your local library.  When you're under pressure, your body releases a stress hormone called cortisol.   In turn, your immune system can become suppressed.  In addition to meditation, it can be helpful to start a daily gratitude journal.  Remembering what is good in your life can allow you to stave off negative thoughts.  Thus, you are “cleansing the mind.”

Organic foods:  When you eat organic, you are eating food that has not been chemically altered. You are choosing not to ingest substances laden with pesticides. With regular supermarket produce, the likelihood of being exposed to heavy metal residue is an issue.  With organic foods, you are not as vulnerable to lead, mercury, and aluminum. The goal is to expose your body to fewer noxious substances and to cleanse your body of toxic and processed food products. If you currently shop at stores with organic food options, you are already choosing wisely by eating the healthiest and cleanest food in town.

In our final installment on important food terminology, we want to explore why words matter in the development of a better food system. As our previous installments discussed, we think eating local is the answer to a number of political and social issues. But why? Furthermore, how do we reach a future where eating locally is the healthy, easiest and most sustainable thing to do? And, perhaps most importantly, how can you easily tell the difference between marketing hype and real change?

As we mentioned in our last installment, it's not easy to create a sustainable and local economy that includes a productive food system. There are hindrances everywhere; take the new GAP certifications (or Good Agricultural Practices) produced by the USDA each year. 

Intended to protect consumers from harmful waste products and inadequate production methods on a grand or monocultural scale (which is critically important), these practices back small farmers into corners. For instance, last year, liquid manure led to a number of health issues in agribusiness spinach production, so the USDA created new GAP protections so this fertilizer would not spread diseases and infection. 

Unfortunately, the new measures created problems for small farmers who do not typically use liquid compost. In order to adhere to the GAP certifications, the farmers couldn't fertilize any of that season's crops with farm-produced, animal waste compost, which is how most growers create their own fertilizers and avoid the use of synthetic ones.

Now, this is just one example of all the things that can hinder a thriving local economy and food system. But let’s focus on the things we can do right now to move the process forward here in Missouri. We truly believe we can create a sustainable food system by guaranteeing small, local farmers a market. It’s very hard for an independent permaculture farmer to compete with organic giants like Earthbound or Cascadian Farms. But if we are able to create a contract with farmers, promising to buy the products they produce on the assumption that we can sell it through our box subscription programs, we can help that farmer obtain enough income to produce more and to maintain or enhance those practices that create sustainability and productivity. This is a good example of real change instead of marketing. Some grocers buy locally produced tomatoes when the market has an oversupply and prices are low. Then they claim to "buy local." At the Root Cellar, we buy local at a fairly contracted price whenever possible. 

We also need producers and processors to work together to make it easier to process and store food. Retailers and consumers must support organizations trying to improve this infrastructure. This is why we are committed to purchasing pickled, frozen and preserved products in advance at the peak of production. These advanced purchases guarantee small companies the capital they need to preserve large quantities at the best time of year. 

On the other side of the spectrum, very few processors will work with local meat producers because those farmers operate on such a small scale, or because of the types of meat they want to process.  Country Neighbors Specialty Meats raises chickens and turkeys during the best grazing seasons, but there is only a few processors in the entire state of Missouri who can process Laura’s birds for her. (Luckily, one of them is relatively near to her farm, but that’s not the case for all small meat farmers). However, Laura doesn't have a lot of room to store her summer birds for enjoyment all winter. In response, we have invested in freezer storage to ensure that you can enjoy the best frozen chicken available all year long.  

The science is clear: climate change is here. That means the weather in Missouri will be more extreme and unpredictable as time goes on, with more extreme high and low temperatures, heavier rainfall, and more prolonged droughts in the next few years. Farmers are working hard to find large-scale solutions to these challenges, but there are also simple things that you can do in your home garden to make a difference. One of these is rainwater collection. Spring is upon us, and for many, that means it's time to start working in the yard. Many of you are busy tilling your gardens and planting seeds and flowers, but have you thought about how to WATER all those plants? Rainfall is a great way to water your garden, and you can always use the hose, but did you know that the City of Columbia promotes storm water collection as a way of sustainably dampening your yard? Storm water collection can be done in a few different ways, from setting out buckets on an apartment patio to buying a full barrel system that hooks under the gutters of your house. Collecting rain is a great way to save money on utility bills during the peak of the summer, and to reduce overfill in our sewers by redirecting storm water runoff. It also reduces local street flooding and prevents the pollution of our waterways.  It is amazing how much water your roof collects, which you could be using to grow a greener garden and to help the environment. Below are a few facts to explain better:  -A half-inch rainfall easily fills a 50-gallon barrel  -Most houses could collect 200-400 gallons of water per rainfall  -During a one-inch rainfall, you can collect about a half-gallon of water per square foot of roof space 

To figure out how much water your roof could collect, estimate the square footage of your roof and divide that number by two. That's roughly the number of gallons your roof would collect during a one inch rainfall.  To take full advantage of all that water, consider buying several rain barrels and connecting them together. Multiple barrels will also allow you to switch them out as soon as one is filled. 

If you are interested in purchasing a 50-gallon rain barrel from the City, you need to place an order by May 29th. Pick up is on June 6 from noon to 5:30 p.m. at the Boone County Department of Public Health and Human Services, located at 1005 W. Worley Street. Rainwater collection is legal in Missouri, but not all states allow it. Make sure to check with your local neighborhood association before setting up a collection system. 

Breathe in, breathe out.  We live in a busy, fast-paced culture, where it seems as if everyone is on the go.  Our schedules tend to overflow, packed with responsibilities, obligations, and forms of entertainment.  Many times, we are in such a big hurry that we forget to consider some of our most primitive human needs.  Making these needs a priority somehow falls along the wayside. We all need to take time to breathe and relax.  We need to find ways to make our homes a safe and nurturing place. We need to bathe and keep ourselves clean…well, most of us would like it if everyone prioritized this!  But, most importantly, we need to take the time to prioritize our food and how we enjoy it.

Since food is a mandatory part of life, how can we make it more enjoyable? Being aware of what food does for us can change our perspective toward it.  It all starts with mindfulness, which fosters appreciation on a deeper level. Food is what energizes us, fights diseases, nourishes the cells in our body, and even comforts us.  It is a binding force that can unite people together.  Why?  Because everyone has to eat!  Every time we take action toward fulfilling one of life’s requirements, we are exclaiming an inward desire to prevail.  We reaffirm that we are worthy of prospering.  

I truly believe that all people can have a more gratifying food experience.  Being in the present moment is a crucial component for getting more out of what you eat.  There are a number of ways to bring about mindfulness, which can harbor more pleasure when you are eating and cooking.  First and foremost, we need to slow down and focus on only one thing at a time. Some of you may be shocked that multi-tasking is no longer a recommendation. When preparing and eating your meals, I suggest putting away the distractions: turning off the TV and putting your phone on silent.  Make your food experience refreshing and fun.  Recruit a helper in the kitchen and take turns making suggestions. Host some of your closest friends over for dinner, where you can do a recipe exchange.  Make an event out of your meal by bringing out the nice china from the cabinets and putting out a decorative tablecloth.  Engage all of your senses. Smell the aromas that fill your kitchen. Take a whiff of the fresh bread baking in the oven or the scent of the tenderloin roast soaking in spices. Listen to some Italian music while you are cooking your spaghetti and meatballs.  Do a series of taste-tests to discover which foods you truly appreciate.   Label the flavors you notice: tangy, spicy, sweet, or zesty. Guess the ingredients, slow down, savor each bite, and chew!  (Side note: If you want to give it a try, I suggest eating a piece of Patric Chocolate and comparing it to a generic brand. With Patric’s, I noticed that my mouth was bursting with flavor from the cocoa beans and mint. With the generic brand I realized that I had a more waxy-sugary texture left in my mouth). After slowing down and truly discovering what my preferences are, I can honestly say that I am proud of the food that I eat.

For those who don’t already know, we had our Spring Celebration on Friday to mark the end of the Fall/Winter subscription season.

There was food and an open bar, of course, but we had other tricks up our sleeves. There was a seed swap for the guests who wanted to pick up some new varieties, and we also offered fabulous door prizes.

Carrie and Sandye did an amazing job of keeping the food trays stocked (we owe them for that)...

While Leah was up, front helping the guests who wanted to buy some of the delicious local beer and wine we were offering!

Most importantly, the food was amazing. Jake and Chelsea made their super secret, super special cranberry-pecan-turkey salad.

And a delicious mixed berry crisp with local blackberries, blueberries, and peaches.

Everybody really enjoyed it.

They also made the most amazing spinach and goat cheese tartlets, with spinach fresh from Columbia and cheese from Goatsbeard Farms!

Kadie also made wonderful chocolate chip banana bread, which people couldn’t seem to stop eating.

And those are just a few examples of the night’s offerings. We also had live music, courtesy of the amazing Noah Earle.

Who was popular with all our guests, no matter how old.

This past Wednesday, the North Village Arts District threw open its doors for Art of Food, a widespread tasting party that benefited the Farmers and Artisans Market. Five businesses in the Arts District, ourselves included, hosted 12 of mid-Missouri’s best breweries, vineyards, and restaurants for a booze-soaked night of delicious food. The Root Cellar staff were lucky enough to be in attendance, and we all got a chance to hang out and have fun together. Some of our favorite photos are below — it was such a good time!

Jen snagged a pic of two of our favorite chefs — Trey Quinlan of Trey Bistro and Mike Odette from Sycamore!

The Wine Cellar and Robller Winery set up at the Root Cellar and served a delicious Béchamel burger made with grass-finished Missouri beef.

Cafe Utopia served up samples of their delicious pies and bread pudding in the basement of ARTlandish gallery.

Bleu set up in Orr Street Studios and served their take on summer meeting winter — acorn squash purée topped with gazpacho and honey whipped cream.

A jazz combo from the MU School of Music played at The Bridge while we were all munching on salmon wantons from Trey Bistro.

Les Bourgeois served bites of rabbit rillette along with wine samples at their booth in Orr Street Studios.

The boys from Logboat Brewing, one of Columbia’s newest breweries, shared glasses of their already famous ginger beer. It was pretty earth-shattering, let us tell you.

Now that we understand some of the potential confusion surrounding food labeling, we’d like to offer some insight into how we use this information to form partnerships with farmers and make purchasing decisions. At the Root Cellar, our number one goal is to support and improve the lives around us. Through our farmers, our land, and our consumers, we try to use local food to inspire healthy, lasting change in our community.  Sometimes, this change is already occurring in other places — Kalona, Iowa, for instance. A co-op of small dairy farmers there produce a variety of products that are not only certified organic, but pasture-raised. The farmers make business decisions as producers and co-owners instead of putting themselves at the mercy of some large agribusiness. They help protect the land and greatly reduce water pollution by avoiding CAFO methods. The success of the Kalona co-op has allowed them to expand regionally, so they can provide high-quality and healthy dairy products to grocers in Iowa and surrounding states. We're proud to offer their brand, which expands the selection of dairy items at our store. 

[Kalona dairy products are all non-homogenized and produced sustainably by organic farmers with part-ownership in the company. Basically, the kind of producer we like.]

Sometimes, folks still need to band together to create this sort of change. For instance, after years of land degradation and forest removal, it has become very hard to organically grow a large number of fruit trees in any given area. You might be able to grow a few in your own yard without pesticides, but on a mass-production scale, it's nearly impossible. Bottom-line: pests love fruit trees (just like us). As such, we must work with what we have to enhance our local economy and community. Bader Peaches and Peter’s Orchard are both considered conventional farms because of their pesticide use. However, over time we hope to see increased use of natural pest fighters, like trap crops (which you’ll encounter in our next installment).  This, like everything else we’re fighting for, takes community support. These orchards need to know that their community cares about them. It’s always important to remember that eating local is truly essential. It keeps money in Missouri and by purchasing local products, you can feel confident that your food hasn’t been prematurely harvested (reducing nutritional value) or shipped thousands of miles. It also gives the community a greater chance of requesting and receiving change when it doesn’t have to petition a multimillion dollar corporation. Lastly, it shows that we're in this together – we aren’t going to bail on producers that we know and trust just because they need added time and support to add even more sustainable practices to their repertoire. 

[Local and sustainable growing is always important, even at home. Look for our new Baker Seed display when you come in the store. We've partnered with them to offer our community Missouri-produced heirloom seeds.] 

And then, there are places in Missouri who have already undertaken this responsibility and need consumers to help them thrive. For example, the family-owned Blackberry Moon Farms near Joplin. This is what we consider a ‘transition to organic’ farm. They are working with land that can’t be certified organic yet, but have taken all the necessary steps to receive certification when the time comes. They don’t use pesticides and have utilized sustainable technologies like hoop houses. Furthermore, they are one of our largest providers of heirloom produce. Blackberry Moon uses heirloom seeds to grow food that performs well in Missouri without chemicals and that is well-adapted to our climate, eliminating the need for things like excessive irrigation. As such, these foods are always GMO-free.

[Blackberry Moon uses high tunnels to sustainably and locally grow vital crops like leafy greens, even in the winter. It's important for us to support growers who dedicate themselves to organic practices and try to expand the food choices in their communities.]

Did you know that there are more than 200,000 pollinators on earth today? Birds, bats, small mammals, butterflies, beetles, flies...the list goes on and on, and they all help pollinate our food. Today, though, we want to talk about bees, the most famous pollinators of all. Bees are responsible for pollinating one-third of our food supply, but they're also facing some serious threats to their existence.

We’re sure you’ve noticed the rise of the natural eating movement and the growing availability of organic products in grocery stores across the country. People are increasingly making the switch to natural living in a number of ways —especially through the products they put into their bodies.

While we fully support this decision, we feel as a result that it is important for consumers to fully understand the terms used to identify these products, especially when it comes to food. When a seemingly endless list of keywords such as "natural," "organic," "sustainable," "humanely-raised," "pesticide-free," and "grass-fed" appear on grocery shelves, it can be hard to keep their definitions straight. We also feel that the assumed differences and benefits associated with these labels are very misleading.

(We see this type of thing literally everywhere.)

In this first installment of “Understanding Food Terminology” we want to write about the very different assumptions consumers can make about these keywords and what the terms actually imply. Our second installment will focus on how these terms affect the Root Cellar’s purchasing decisions. Our final installment will conclude our argument for eating locally and focus on the future of food at Root Cellar and in Missouri.

To begin, we want to note that consumers are not at fault if they don't entirely understand contemporary grocery labels. We blame that confusion solely on a fairly recent and rapid change in America's food culture, which has led to our dependence on monoculture crops like corn and soy. These products make up a large portion of the American diet, whether we realize it or not. But the point of this blog is not to evaluate all the ways that corn and soy have infiltrated nearly every meal we eat. Instead, we want to point out that there are many things we don’t understand about conventional food, and that misinformation can plague consumers even when they make the switch to eating natural and organic products. Many consumers are already well-informed on the damage large agribusiness has caused. Now, the challenge is evaluating the alternatives available to us.

(Kashi, for example, has gotten into trouble in recent years over their "natural" branding.)

"Natural" is just one of the keywords we see popping up everywhere. It seems impossible to go to the grocery store and find anything that doesn’t have the words 'all-natural' plastered across the front. There's a very simple explanation, too: the term doesn't mean squat. The USDA doesn't regulate its use at all, so anyone and everyone is free to paste it on their products with absolutely no discretion (which, quite honestly, is terrifying). Terms such as "farm fresh," "farmer raised," "locally processed" and "regionally grown" are equally as meaningless. We know this is duplicitous, we know this is wrong, and we know it might even be obvious to some folks, but it can also be incredibly misleading for people who are still in the beginning stages of sustainable eating. At the Root Cellar, we also feel that "organic" is one of the most challenging grocery buzzwords. Many people hear the word "organic" and picture a thriving, verdant garden planted on a family farm with an old barn and a tire swing, surrounded by humanely raised dairy cows and clucking chickens. "Organic" is often used in conjunction with terms like "pesticide/herbicide free," "GMO-free," and even "cruelty free" or "grass-fed." In some scenarios, this hypothetical scene is actually the case. But in many other situations, this pastoral notion of small farm life has been reduced to very little. Most of the organic products found in grocery stores are still produced on large monoculture farms with large machinery or unfairly compensated workers. These farms still employ ‘’naturally derived pesticides" and often grow crop varieties geared toward productivity, not nutrition or flavor.

The "organic" label is especially meaningless when it's applied to meat, which is a frightening revelation for many consumers. Organic livestock production is virtually identical to conventional — the only requirement is that the animals be fed organically produced grains. Very few "organic" standards mandate the humane treatment of livestock, access to pasture, or how the animals are processed.

This isn't to say that all organic companies are misleading and undeserving of support. We have great confidence in a number of organic brands, such as Kalona Super Natural out in Iowa (look for their full story in our next installment). These companies often employ co-ops of small family farms, who make joint decisions as partial owners and producers.

(Kalona's raspberry yogurt is one of the most delicious things we've ever tasted. Happy cows actually come from Iowa, it turns out.)

Keywords like "heirloom," "pasture-raised," "corn-free," "antibiotic" and "hormone-free" are typically more informative and instructive than ambiguous terms like "organic" and "natural." We also encourage shoppers to consider labels such as "Fair Trade," which governs how farmers and workers are compensated and treated. A little research on a certain brand or product can also go a long way when you're trying to decide whether it supports your values. If a product feels a little too good to be true, (like organic bananas for 33 cents a pound), it probably is.

(Seriously, buy your bananas Fair Trade. The slightly higher price just means that the company isn't exploiting its workers.)

Don't get us wrong — labels are helpful. We are 100 percent in favor of label requirements that identify whether a product contains GMOs, where a piece of meat was processed, and whether a product is organically or Fair Trade certified. But as local grocers, we know that the authenticity and integrity of food can be hard to summarize with a single word or symbol.

Although midsummer heat seems like a faraway thought during our current mid-February freeze, it won’t be long until the grass shifts to green and spring flowers burst through the thawing ground. Another ubiquitous spring sight in mid-Missouri are freshly plowed fields and young corn plants emerging in the sun. Living along the banks of the Missouri River, we are blessed to reside in one of the most fertile areas of the country, where important crops like corn can thrive. However, land use and allocation along the banks of the Big Muddy looked much different before large industrial agribusiness began its dictatorship over the area.

We wanted to share this post with you today chiefly because corn has gained a bit of a bad reputation in the current agricultural climate. With Monsanto GMOs, ethanol, and corn hybrids dominating the news, it becomes easy to think of corn as the enemy — after all, modified corn breeds have contributed to nasty things like factory farms, increased food prices, and environmental destruction.  But when it's used as food, corn is a rich part of Missouri's farming heritage. We also don't want to send the impression that we're unequivocally opposed to all hybridized crops. Hybrids can often have a very positive effect on sustainable food production, but cross-breeding corn generally just disrupts the plant's natural resiliency. Finally, corn hybrids and Monsanto GMOs are able to dominate the farming landscape simply because agriculture has become increasingly industrial, not because we would be starving without modified crops. 

(Monsanto headquarters in St. Louis.)

Monsanto — whose national headquarters are in St. Louis — is the largest seed company in the world, and can be credited for creating genetically modified seeds, DDT, PCB, Agent Orange, and Roundup. Monsanto didn’t emerge as a major seed company until the 1980s. In fact, hybridization of corn seed did not find its way into our fields until the mid-1930s. Even then, the percentage of hybridized corn planted across the Midwest was less than half a percent. 

(King Corn, a 2007 documentary, explores the impact of genetically modified corn crops in the Heartland. Available on Netflix.)

With the introduction of tractors, the amount of hybridized corn planted increased enormously. By 1943, 59 percent of all corn planted in the United States was hybridized. By 1956, virtually all corn planted had been hybridized. 

A note on the hybridization of plants: many of the fruits and veggies we eat today are the product of hybridized seeds and have had a positive effect on organic food production. Hybrid seeds are the result of the cross-pollination of two closely related plants — for example, crossing a tomato variety known for its strong, drought-resistant roots with a variety that produces large, luscious fruit. Seeds or offspring produced and then planted from this cross-pollination will result in a plant that shares the characteristics of both parents. It will have strong, drought-resistant roots as well as luscious, flavorful fruits. However, the seeds from this plant — the third generation — will not produce the same improved variety of tomato. It will exhibit characteristics of either parent, but not both. This process is quite different from the forceful insertion of foreign cells into a plant’s genetic code. Hybridization is a natural process used by plant breeders. Genetic modification of plants happens in a laboratory, devoid of natural processes. 

Hybridization and genetic modification greatly reduce the vitality and resiliency of an open-pollinated crop like corn. It decreases genetic diversity and restricts a farmer’s self-sufficiency by limiting his or her ability to save seeds. Heirloom, open-pollinated corn is, by nature, a resilient plant. The natural flow of pollen across a field, whether by wind or by insects, causes variations within a plant population, allowing the corn to adapt to local growing conditions and climate fluctuations over time. As long as the crop is not pollinated by a different variety of corn, the seeds will remain true to type and highly adapted to local growing conditions. In the case of corn, hybridization weakened genetic diversity, strengthening pest pressure and opening a window for genetically modified corn. First planted in 1997, genetically modified corn now makes up 85 percent of all corn grown in the United States.

(A field of Monsanto corn.)

To put this in perspective, 85 percent of the 97.4 million acres of corn planted in the U.S. is genetically modified and not fit for direct human consumption. This means that 82.8 million acres of valuable, fertile land are growing crops used to make highly processed food, sugary additives, ethanol, and industrial animal feed. Corn is one of the most powerful superfoods on this planet, and cornfields surround us, yet none of it is fit for consumption. Food, food, everywhere, but not a bite to eat.

This, however, was not always the case. The Midwest as a whole, including Missouri, has a rich corn heritage that Monsanto has all but destroyed with its toxic chemical sprays. Before corn varieties had patents with names like DK9161YG and NK 5447BT, their names evoked their history. Corn varieties were not the “intellectual property” of a corporation, but communal treasures whose traits were a source of celebration.

Two commonly cultivated varieties at the turn of the 20th century were Hickory King and Osage Corn. Hickory King has been grown for over two centuries and originated in Appalachia. With its vigorous height (it can grow up to 15 feet tall), drought tolerance, and long maturation period, it wasn't long before it found a perfect home in Missouri. Today, at 95, Missouri native Adele Landers still recalls her father growing Hickory King in Chesterfield, Mo. Hickory King was commonly made into hominy, flour, and, of course, moonshine. 

(Danielle Plourde, one of our sales associates, cultivates Hickory King on a plot near Cooper's Landing.)

Osage Corn has deep red kernels, in contrast with the large, white seeds of Hickory King, and grows only seven feet tall. Osage Corn, like the name suggests, was a precious gift to the Osage people, who, at one time, sprawled across the central plains of Oklahoma, Arkansas and Missouri.

Today, as smaller farms disappear and large farming monopolies take their place, the sight of corn harvesters and trains filled with grain for export are a common sight. Sixty years ago, however, when people were growing corn as a dietary staple, things worked much differently. Harvesting such a large quantity of corn at once was not a solitary affair. Prior to combines, the corn harvest was a community effort, with young men often competing to see who could gather the most. With a simple, glove-like tool to quickly expose kernels from the husk and a horse-drawn wagon to haul the bounty, people effectively harvested corn without heavy, debt-inducing equipment.

(More of Danielle's local corn, growing fast during the summer.)

After it was removed from the field, corn was stored for seed or brought to the mill. Water-driven grain mills could be found all over the Missouri countryside, acting both as a site for commerce and a community gathering spot. The most notable of these mills is Hodgson Mill. Founded in 1837, in the heart of the Missouri Ozarks, Hodgson Mill was an outlet for local farmers with grain surpluses and a center of life for the Dora and Sycamore areas.

(Danielle, the lovely author of this blog, poses with her dog and a truck full of heirloom corn harvest.)   

As we zoom past acres of corn every day in our cars, it is hard to imagine a time when corn was a such a central force in everyday life. Corn once inspired people to swim in the clear spring water under the shade of a picturesque red mill, to pack a picnic to share with their neighbors, and, most importantly, to create resilient communities, independent from the global food industry.

-by Danielle Plourde