Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

First let me say that I am a big proponent of the Slow Food movement and I try to buy organic whenever I can. I live in Japan and I am fortunate to live close to an organic food store. I also have a very small bit of dirt outside my apartment where I plant some vegetables. I also have worked on organic farms through WWOOF in Japan.

That being said, I agree with some of the commentators regarding Ms. Waters. She came across as being extremely pretentious, especially when she said that she thought of herself of a revolutionary -- show a little modesty... and roasting an egg over an open fire? Gimme a break. She wants to convince people she's not elitist? It's great that she has the time and the resources to do that, but in the real world, most people do not.

However, I do think that everyone should try to grow their own food. Even if it is just a tomato plant by the windowsill or planting some spinach in the backyard, as long as one tries. Growing food used to be a large part of human knowledge, and now it is unfortunately limited to just a few. I had no experience whatsoever in growing anything until a year ago, and now I am growing spinach, lettuce, cabbage, mizuna, daikon, and I plan to grow tomatoes when the weather gets warmer. It isn't that hard and it doesn't cost much. Even in a city apartment with no balcony one can grow a couple of small plants and keep a small compost bin with very little money.

Yes, organic food costs much more than "conventional" food, and for those on a limited budget it can be difficult. But for people who aren't living paycheck to payment, it comes down to priorities. Ms. Waters' comment about buying organic food instead of Nike shoes was poorly articulated, but her point is valid -- for those people who can afford it and live in an area where it is available, there is no reason not to buy organic.