The Lingo

100% Organic Label on Agricultural Products: According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a product with the label 100% organic “must contain only organically produced ingredients and processing aids” with the exception of water and salt.
Biodegradable: As stated by the Federal Trade Commission, biodegradable products or packaging should break down in their entirety and “return to nature within a reasonably short period of time after customary disposal.”
Cage Free: Cage Free implies that hens are not bound to cages but does not guarantee they would have outdoors access.
Food Miles: Refers to the distance that food travels from the farm to your table. For Americans, the average food item travels between 1500-2500 miles.
Free Range: The term “Free Range” is misleading because no meaningful standard has been applied to the label. The U.S. Department of Agriculture requires only that the producer proves that the animals have access to the outdoors through a USDA-certified access, usually a small, narrow door. There are no concrete guidelines for how long the door is to remain open. The reality is that hardly ever does a chicken venture out.
Free Roaming: Livestock allowed to roam freely instead of being contained, supporting their natural instinctual behaviors.
Fuel Efficient: Vehicles designed to generate greater mileage (output) per gallon of gasoline (input). Because of the increased miles per gallon (MPG) achieved, both air pollution and carbon dioxide emissions are reduced.
GLOBAL Warming: The theory that people are adding to the natural greenhouse effect by polluting the earth’s atmosphere with extra carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. This might increase the amount of heat trapped in the lower atmosphere causing increases in daily temperatures and changes in weather patterns.
GMO Free: This term refers to any food product that has been produced without the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). While many consumers have a concern regarding the effect of eating genetically engineered food, there is also concern that the introduction of GMO crops can potentially destroy ecosystems because of cross-pollination or seed drift.
Grassfed: According to the American Grassfed Association grassfed cattle, bison, goats and sheep, should be feeding on nothing but “their mother’s milk and fresh grass or grass-type hay from birth to harvest”. For pigs and poultry, grass is an important part of their diet, but supplemental feed consisting of grains is also required.
Green Energy: The term Green Energy is used when referring to renewable environmentally friendly sources of energy like wind, sun, landfill and wave energy.
Greenhouse Effect: Atmospheric scientists were the first to use the term Greenhouse Effect in the 1800s to describe the natural process in which green house gasses (eg. carbon dioxide, water vapor, methane, nitrous oxide) trap the heat emitted from the earth’s surface, warming the planet. At that time it didn’t have a negative association, as it was understood to be a requirement for life on earth. Since the 1950s the term has taken on a more negative connotation, as concern over global warming has increased, along with the understanding of its potential impact on the environment.
Greenhouse Gas: Water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide are some of the gases found in earth’s atmosphere, allowing sunlight to enter easily. Once in the atmosphere, sunlight hits the surface of the earth, where some heat will be absorbed and a portion will be reflected back out into space as infrared radiation. Greenhouse gases serve as a barrier, absorbing some of this heat and trapping it in the atmosphere.
Local Food: Local food refers to food grown as close as possible to the consumer. There is no standard guideline for determining what “close” means. For some it means grown within the state, for other it means grown within 100-300 miles from their home. A helpful rule of thumb is that food shouldn’t travel more than a day to reach your plate.
Locavore: Coined in 2006, the term locavore refers to individuals who carefully consider where their food comes from and primarily try to consume locally-grown or raised food. In 2007, this term was selected as the New Oxford American Dictionary word of the year.
Made with Organic Ingredients: Products should consist of at least 70% organic ingredients, and must list up to 3 of the organic ingredients or food groups used.
Natural: The U.S. Department of Agriculture defines "natural" as food that “contains no hormones, antibiotics or artificial ingredients and is 'minimally' processed.”
Organic Label on Agricultural Products: Products using the “Organic” label must contain "at least 95% organically produced ingredients” with the exception of water and salt, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Pastured Chicken: Chickens raised on pasture as opposed to indoor confinement. Typically, about 20% of their diet comes from pasture (grass, worms, insects) and the remainder is either conventional or organic feed.
Permaculture: Permaculture is an approach to designing ecological habitats and agricultural systems that are self-sufficient and integrated harmoniously with the surrounding landscape, taking into account the micro-climate, flora, fauna, soil and water. Construction addresses issues such as energy-efficiency, waste management, recycling and land stewardship. When cultivating the land, design emphasis is placed on multi-use plants, rotation and biodiversity. Animals play an important role in restoring balance to the land. This approach is further enhanced by observing and learning from the patterns found in nature and applying them in the design and construction process of man-made or natural environments.

About this Site

100 Mile Harvest is our family's personal journey into local eating for sustainability. It will connect us to the earth and seasons, the local sources of our food and the extraordinary people who produce it. This is our world within a 100 mile radius. Join us in shaping the future of food.

Subscribe in a reader