Shopping the Organic Market in Montevideo

This is especially for those purist folks who are concerned about the poisons and other chemicals that add insult to so many of our fruits and vegetables around the world.

When we were considering living in Montevideo, one of my concerns was about the availability of organic produce and other food products. To my delight I found that there are, indeed, farmers in Uruguay who are committed to organic farming.

A small section of the Sunday open market at Parque Rodo is populated with organic farmers. We buy fruits and vegetables, organic wheat flour, bread, cheese and even personal care products there.

However, in my neighborhood of Montevideo, known as "Centro," only blocks from where I live, a group of organic farmers have opened a coop-type storefront where they bring their food products for display and sale. You can find fruits and vegetables, cheese (yes we can even get organic cheese), some meat, personal care items, books, honey--even some handcrafted items.

They tell me that, if I call in my order the evening before, they will even deliver to my front door.




















I have met some Uruguay people who tell me that the farming culture in their country traditionally leans toward avoiding unnatural farming methods and insecticides, and that even the farmers who are not organic avoid pesticides as much as possible.

Something else that I find interesting is the knowledge among the people about the use of herbs for healing. That interest shows up in the selection of books on display at the store. They offer for sale quite a few books dedicated to medicinal herbs.





















Productos Organicos is not a health food store like those to which many of us are accustomed. There are no shelves stacked with bottles of vitamins and minerals in pill and capsule form. It is all just fresh farm produce.

Since I like to buy fresh wheat and grind my own flour using the grain attachment of my Champion juicer (does a fantastic job!) I was looking for a source of fresh, organic wheat. I did find an organic wheat farmer here. Someone else in our English speaker´s group (covered in a different article) also found a source of organic seeds for sprouting and grinding.

So for you organic folks, I assure you that we are down here busily gathering information for you all . . . as well as for ourselves!

Purchasing at the organic section at the Parque Rodo market is most economical. All depends on whether you are looking for economy or convenience. The market at Parque Rodo is available only on Sunday whereas Producto Organicos is open every day.

Sadly for those of us who understand the value of an uncorrupted food supply, the organic farmers tell us that Monsanto is here in Uruguay and the Uruguay government is now allowing their seeds. There are stipulations as to how far away they have to be with their genetically modified seeds, but of course it would be best if they were not in the country at all from the point of view of those of us who profer organics. Or even prefer food as nature intended us to eat it--without pig or bacterium genes!

When the camel gets its nose inside the tent, I get worried!

However, the only GM crops, so far as I know right now, are corn and soybeans. Also some crops used for oil, like canola and cottonseed oil, may be genetically engineered. A Wikipedia article at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetically_modified_foods lists genetically engineered foods.

A very high percentage of the corn and soybeans in the U.S. are GM products. This is why I don´t eat corn. There was a genetically modified tomato at one time but it could not compete with a traditionally grown tomato so it was taken off the market.

Therefore, for now, GM foods in Uruguay are not a problem (unless one likes corn a lot) and there appear to be plenty of organic farmers ready and willing to provide organic products for those of us who are interested.

As I learn more about organics and farming in Uruguay I promise to let you know.

© Arlean Kelley 03/11/2009 All rights reserved.

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