what do you mean when you say...

Language is always evolving. That's one of the beautiful things about it. But being able to clearly articulate what we mean is the foundation of any good relationship, especially when it comes to our relationship with food.

At Black Bottom we want to be as transparent as possible about how your food is grown, made, and moved. A lot of that comes down to the language we use. This gets a bit tricky when you factor in the cultural influence of vocabulary, particularly when you take into account giant food corps who may greenwash, or adopt certain keywords to fit into what market analysis indicates will sell the next big thing.

So we thought we might put together a glossary of what we mean when we use particular words to tell your food's story. BUT- we want this glossary to be a living document, one with the ability to grow and change based on our community's needs. SO- we want to know what you think these words mean, and what you think of our definitions. Are there any words missing?

Customers- let us know how can we best deliver good food that fits your needs. What does that language look like? And for our good food producers, we want to make sure we're telling your story the way you would. What do you think of how we use these terms? How can we best use them to represent you to new markets?

So- What do we mean when we say...

(in alphabetical order)

Antibiotic Free- Maryland became the second U.S. state to pass a law banning the routine use of antibiotics in healthy livestock and poultry following the "Maryland's Keep Antibiotics Effective Act" which became effective in October 2017. Kim's testimony was key in helping to pass this law, and she is a fierce proponent of antibiotic free meat. In addition to the legal requirement to not routinely give production animals antibiotics, when we use this term, we mean that they were given no antibiotics outside of routine feeding as well.

Certified Naturally Grown- an answer to certified organic; a peer-review certification to farmers and beekeepers producing food for their local communities by working in harmony with nature, without relying on synthetic chemicals or GMOs.

Clean Food- see "Good Food." We use these terms interchangeably.

Collective- when we refer to "the Collective" we mean our partners who we source from. We partner with beginning farmers, small to medium-scale operations, and innovative thinkers. By aggregating their products we open up new and diverse markets for them, while taking the stress off of consumers to shop for products that are good for their health and good for the earth. In addition to offering new markets to our partners, being a part of The Collective means that our partners have access to mentorship from an experienced farming community, led by Kim. We also help walk new farmers through the ins and outs of food safety, as well as farming, processing, and vending regulations and offer marketing help to new growers in search of markets and a distinct brand. Additionally, as we grow, we will be able to offer partners access to a mobile state-licensed certified kitchen.

Eco-friendly- practices that intentionally care for the environment, including protecting water quality, building good soils, being mindful of packing materials and use, reducing food waste, reducing or eliminating the use of synthetic chemicals, and being pollinator friendly. If you're curious about the eco-cred of any particular operation, just ask! These folks are doing amazing work, and each one is doing its part in a collection of ways.

Food Producer- someone that makes or grows food. We use this term for our farmers, our kombucha brewers, and our juice makers alike

Free Range- the USDA defines this as "given continuous access to the outdoors during their production cycle". Sometimes this gets a little corrupted- for instance, often free range chickens in industrial farm settings never actually set foot outside. When we use this term (which is not often), we use it interchangeably with "pasture raised."

Fresh from the Farm- food that has not been processed or altered to extend its life that is coming straight from the farm and is healthy and nutritious. Our goal is to get food from harvest to your house in 48 hours or less.

Good Food- food that we feel confident in, that has our stamp of approval because we feel it is produced and delivered in a transparent way which meets our high standards of taking care of the environment, the farm's workers and owners, the food's consumers, and any animals involved.

Humane- we believe a humane life and death is integral to the ethical consumption of meat, as well as creating a better product. Animals should not be unduly stressed by their environment or by the way in which they are processed. When we use this term, we mean that the animal lived as natural of a life as possible, typically in as free of an area as possible, and met it's end as quickly and gently as possible. We will use this space and our social media to help share the stories of these animals and their caretakers. In the meantime, if you have questions or want to know more, just ask! Every farm is different.

Integrated Pest Management-an ecosystem-based strategy for reducing pest harm to plants. Rather than using synthetic chemicals, farmers may use biological controls, predator insects, companion planting, habitat manipulation, and changing of their own daily habits to dissuade pests.

Local/Locally Sourced- from within 100 miles of the greater Chesapeake Region (MD, southern PA, northern VA, DC, NJ, and DE)

Nutrient Dense- food relatively low in calories and high in nutrients: full of minerals, vitamins, lean protein, healthy fats, and complex carbs. Several landmark peer reviewed scientific studies point to a general decline in nutrients among many commercially popular fruits and vegetables, most likely due to declining soil health and a penchant for industrial scale agriculture favored traits (pest resistance, rapid growth, uniformity). We love our farmers' dedication to growing good soil and preserving heirloom and uncommon fruit and vegetable varieties for this reason, among others! If you want to learn more about these studies, this is a good place to jump in.

organic Practices- (with the "little o") we use this term when we talk about farms who may use all or majority organic habits, but are not certified by the USDA. Often, the certification process is financially and logistically difficult for small farms. These farms typically use organic seed (if you want to know which of our partners use certified organic seed in particular, just ask!), follow organic guidelines against GMOs, synthetic fertilizers, and pesticides. We encourage you to explore the practices of any of our partners. They're proud of how they raise your food, and so are we! We're happy to help facilitate this relationship in any way you need.

Pasture Raised- animals raised with the ability to freely roam (within reason) on farms. We believe this is the most comfortable and natural setting for animals to be raised. This term is not regulated by the USDA. When we use it, we mean that the animals spend the majority of their time outside on pasture and have access to shelter from predators and bad weather. We source meat and eggs from farms where the animals have plenty of room to move around each other in their pastures and shelters and are not stressed from overcrowding or the condition of their living areas.

Partner- good food friends! These are folks who grow, make, or catch the food we sell.

Pollinator Friendly- practices that encourage the health of pollinator species, from planting a wildflower border on crop fields, to minimizing harmful pesticide use, to leaving crops that are past production but still flowering in fields.

Responsibly Grown- food from farmers and producers that is made in a way that is good for the environment, good for consumers, good for food producers, and good for animals. Considerations include, quality of soil health, water quality, waste reduction, packaging options, transparency, and animal welfare. We also use this term to hold ourselves as a collective accountable in our buying, packaging, transporting and working practices.

Sustainable- When we say "sustainable," we're referring to practices that foster environmental, economic, and ethical prosperity and longevity. This includes but is not limited to: paying farmers fair prices, minimizing food and material waste,reducing chemical pesticide use, fostering healthy work environments for humans and animals, protecting water sources, and building good soil.

Superfood- a nutrient rich food that is especially full of compounds (such as antioxidants, fiber, or fatty acids) considered beneficial to health

Transparent- being clear about how food is grown, made, altered, and transported. To us, this also includes fostering a relationship between our food producers and our customers, and encouraging both to ask questions and give feedback to cultivate a mutually beneficial and honest relationship

Traceable- giving consumers the tools to find out where their food comes from and giving farmers and producers credit for the amazing work they do.

USDA Organic/ Certified Organic- products made in keeping with federal organic guidelines after obtaining federal certification of growing or production methods. Certified organic growing prohibits the use of GMOs and most synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. When meat is certified organic, that means that the animals were raised in conditions that encourage their natural habits, ate only certified organic food, and were not given any antibiotics or hormones.

Zero Waste/ Low Waste- taking intentional steps to use resources efficiently, for instance- being mindful of water conservation; using, asking customers to return, and reusing environmentally friendly packaging; and making value added products out of excess food. Keep an eye out for our line of prepared food and other value added products or preserved food in the months to come- it's in the works! This is a huge part of environmental and economic sustainability for us. We also feel that it's an ethical priority.

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