When Sheherazade Goldsmith made the switch to organic, she was quick to find the fun in her new lifestyle. Here, she celebrates the pleasures of refreshing thirst-quenchers made with seasonal fruit and vegetables.
Photographs by Jenny Zarins
Before I married and had children, organic living never crossed my mind. Life consisted of spending little on food and lots on clothes. When I met my husband Zac, the editor of The Ecologist magazine, we'd talk about green issues, but I didn't really take them on board. That all changed when I became pregnant with Uma, now seven. At the time, The Ecologist was working on a big story about GM food and the Soil Association was at the forefront of the debate. 'Organic' was suddenly headline news. Wanting the best for my child, I began reading everything I could about it.
Once you start buying organically and seasonally, it becomes addictive. The food tastes better, but you also start to question things. How could this perfect banana arrive from the other side of the world and be fresh? Where did these strawberries appear from in winter? I realised that for those things to happen, there must have been an environmentally damaging process.
I was surprised at how easy it is to change your lifestyle. We're very
lucky to have our own farm in Devon. We rear cows, sheep and geese, and eat mainly off our land. But anyone can live more organically. Sadly, organic food is still more expensive – so buy what you can afford. Choose organic meat and dairy products, and buy local, seasonal fruit and veg if you can't shop completely organically. Many pesticides are banned in this country, so buying British is a great option. Not that I want to tell anyone what they should eat: I love Marmite and Gummi Bears!
The thing you seldom hear about organic living is how fun it can be. Once you switch to organic produce, eating seasonally is such a joy. If you don't eat strawberries all year round, when the first crops appear in summer it's wonderful. I hope that these drinks, made with the season's finest fruits, will give you the same pleasure.
To order a copy of 'A Slice of Organic Life', edited by Sheherazade Goldsmith (Dorling Kindersley; £16.99), for £13.99, call 08700 707717 and quote 'Organic/Waitrose'.