So I know it's important to buy organic milk if you can...

[AnUnusuallyBigAdventure]

because of all sorts of nasties, so we do
But what about CHEESE?
I am thinking specifically cream cheese which DS (11 months) has a huge thing for. I can get some organic but it is TWICE the price of Philly.

Is it worth it?
TIA

I always buy organic milk but never bother about buying organic cheese. Sorry that isn't much help.

Same as janeite

Me too..... although it is for me not DD as she does not like cheese, not much help I know but if she did like cheese I would give her regular philly.

That was no help at all really, sorry

Its twice as expensive because the cows yield less and their food is more expensive.

Is it worth it?

Well it depends what 'nasties' you think are in ordinary milk, whether you think those 'nasties' make a real difference and how much you trust organic milk to be really 'organic'.

I am not completely satisfied about the security and verification systems in the organic food industry.

Good point Abetadad - how do you check for bona fide organic?

I don't buy organic milk because of 'nasties'. I am not quite sure what you mean by 'nasties'.

I buy organic milk from an animal welfare point of view. Calves are usually taken away from their mothers very soon after they are born which causes great distress to the cow and the calf. In organic farming, calevs are left with the mother for a number of months until they can graze.

I think people often see organic as just meaning a lack of chemicals. I am mor einterested in animal welfare.

betadad, do you know what organic milk means?

OK, I like what pointydog is saying. I will make sure we stay organic then.

Can i ask, what are these nasties in non organic milk?

I mostly buy organic, but when there is no choice i give the kids non organic, without too much thought.

Just curious..

Like pointy I try to buy organic milk/meat more for the animal welfare (and becuase in general it tastes better) than the nasties. After all I live in one of the most polluted cities in Europe, and I'm not bovvered by chemicals

pointy - yes I do know what organic milk is.

I have friends who run an organic farm and I grew up on a 'traditional farm' with traditional husbandry techniques.

bertolli- Pus, mainly, sorry- vile I know.
We buy organic milk, cheese, and yogurt- and go through lots each week. Meat too.
I read that if you cannot afford much organic produce the best to go for are milk, meat, root veg, and tomatos.

organic milk is better not only because it doesn't contain chemicals that in reality scientists are not 100% sure of the effect

but also because it contains significantly more vitamins, antioxidants, and omega 3 than non-organic

So cheese v milk, well in reality youn eat far less cheese than milk so the benefits of organic will be far less.

I remember reading that if you could only afford a few things organic was to go for:

milk
potatoes
tomatoes (inc ketchup as so concentrated)
salad
and something else that escapes me now!

Does anyone know if the following is true?

I read somewhere that organic milk contains more nutrients in the summer when the cows are grazing, as non-organic milk cows are fed pellets. However, in the winter cows, organic or not, are more likely to be indoors and the nutrients in the milk are about the same.

I'm not sure if this is really a US thing - are UK dairy cows kept in barns all year round or are they grass-fed?

francagoestohollywood - I agree with the animal welfare issues you raise. I do not see why an animal should suffer just so we can eat.

I would like to see a 'rational middle ground' solution the issue of food quality standards banning certain inhumane practics and certain chemicals that is backed up by a strong inspection regime. Imports from countries that did not meet those standards woudl have to be enforced.

BlueBumedFly - to be honest I do not think we can be sure that organic food is not being contaminated with non-organic food.

The rewards to suppliers who are prepared to mix in non-organic food and organic food are huge and the temptation is too great for me to beleive that it is not a common occurence. The price premium of organic over non-organic food is so large that fraud is inevitable.

I don't find that Organic food is outrageously expensive in the UK. Unless of course things have changed in the last yr after we moved. I must sadly say that organic food is more difficult to find and is relatively more expensive here in Italy.

ok, beta. but for someone who has so much experience of farming your repeated talk of nasties all sounded very vague

we need gentleotter. She knows all about farming today

shonaspurtle - non organic and organic cows both go outside in the summer an deat grass in the UK. It is very expensive to feed pelleted food in the summer time and farmers would only do it it if they had no grass (e.g due to a drought).

That said the all cows like to have a little something to eat while they are being milked so they all get some pellets at milking time but not enough to keep them alive and produce milk.

Most cows organic and non-organic eat sillage (i.e preserved grass) in winter. Again this is cheaper than pellets although most cows also get a lot more pellets in winter to supplement their diet.

The only difference between an organic cow and a non-organic cow is that an organic cow must be fed on organic feed produced on an organic farm with no chemical supplements and very carefully controlled medical intervention.

Non-organic cows can eat whatever the farmer gives them from any source and medical intervention with routine drug treatment is common.

what about the issue of taking the calves from the mothers?

hey franca! do italians sometimes include shaved potato with their pasta?

??? I need more info pointy.

you need more info - lol!

hang on, I'll be back with a quote after sorting the dds

keh.

Jamie oliver - whom I a-dore - wrote in his recent cookery book that 'it's actually very authentic to add sliced or mashed potato to pasta.' He is referring to a version of tahliatelle alla genovese.

The word authentic here means to me that that is what italinas sometimes do.

Have you come across this?

Ah, I see. For instance, the original way of making pasta al pesto is to boil (in the water where pasta will be boiled) chunks of potatoes and french beans. Is this what he means?
Good old Jamie, I miss him.