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from animals that have been raised from birth without the use of antibiotics, added growth hormones, growth promotants, or animal by-products in any feed rations.
    Organic meats and poultry come from animals that have been raised from birth without the use of antibiotics, added growth hormones, growth promotants, or animal by-products in any feed rations. In addition, they must be fed only certified Organic grasses and/or grains. All animals and feeds must be raised on certified Organic farms and ranches.
    GRASS-FED is a term used to signify that livestock have been raised from birth strictly on a grass and/or a forage diet. In other words, grass-fed livestock do not consume grains as part of their diet. Since “grass-fed” specifically addresses the animal’s diet, it does not necessarily mean that the meat would qualify for Natural or Organic labels. (Beef labeled Grass-Fed could, for example, come from animals that grazed on fertilized lands, and received antibiotics or growth hormones.) So be sure to look for Grass-Fed Natural, or Grass-Fed Organic for the cleanest products.
    “Free-range” is a term that applies to chickens, and in theory it is good for them. However, the designation Free-Range means only that a bird has spent a minimum of two and a half hours a day out of its pen. It does not guarantee that the bird was organically or naturally raised or that it was treated humanely. Again, ask questions.
    PASTURE-RAISED refers to animals raised on open land, with space to graze and natural grasses to feed on. These animals may spend time in corrals or enclosures, but they live most of their lives in natural environments.
Fish and Seafood
    Currently, there is no certification for organic fish. To certify seafood or fish as Organic would mean imposing controls that would put the fish in some sort of confinement. To do that and ensure that the method used was sustainable for the environment and healthy for humans would be challenging. I recommend that you use sustainably harvested fish and seafood whenever possible. I say this with a note of caution. Learn about the environment where the fish or seafood comes from. Make sure it comes from clean, healthy waters, such as those in Alaska or Iceland. Eating fish as soon as possible after it is caught or harvested is best. Sometimes, that means using fish that has been frozen immediately after being caught.
    With the dwindling number of wild fish in our waters and shifts in sea temperatures, however, you may be selecting fish raised in fish farms. Ask questions. Using farm-raised fish is a healthy option only if you are satisfied with how the fish are raised and handled after harvesting. The Monterey Bay Aquarium has a Seafood Watch program, which provides information about edible fish. They promote sustainable fishing and farming methods and have created a useful seafood guide that lists the best and worst options for consumers in every region of the country. Visit their Web site often for the most up-to-date information ( www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/seafoodwatch.asp ).
Wild Game
    Wild game is, of course, caught in the wild. These animals live and feed naturally off the environment. This doesn’t necessarily mean that their meat is organic, but the animals will not have received antibiotics or growth hormones. Depending on where they grazed, they may be as clean as organic animals, so wild game is a good choice.
Eggs
    I love raising chickens. They create great compost and eat leftover scraps, and there is nothing that compares to a freshly gathered egg. A few years ago, the coop, which was built around an old tree, went down in a storm. We are building a movable coop, so the chickens can graze on open space (urban chickens can’t run wild!). If I am lucky, someone will convince me that I have to buy a little tractor to move it from place to place.
    In your quest for organic eggs, remember that the egg comes from the chicken, so organic eggs are simply eggs from