Green Daily

Just because you buy organic, doesn't mean animals lived any better than those shot up with hormones. One local farmer told my neighbor she's seen certified organic farms where animals "never see the light of day."

Here's the definition:

Of, relating to, or produced by animals, especially poultry, that have access to outside spaces and are permitted to graze or forage and range freely for food rather than being confined in an enclosure or feedlot. Sometimes referred to as free-roaming. Conditions for the animals are also typically less crowded.

Be forewarned; finding a label that identifies contents as organic and free range can be futile. Trust me. I've tried. But I won't give up. Some farmers aren't giving up either. Here's a great article from one about the old-fashioned practice of letting chickens roam free on the farm. And another about why a free-range label might not mean so much. As with so many other issues, we're left to wonder what's best and what we're really buying. Seems the only way to be sure is to buy from a local farm where you can see for yourself what goes on.

Skip ahead

• Fish from farms?
• How to eat local
• GMO: What does it mean, and why should you care?