If I was eating dinner in a certain southern Maine restaurant right now, not only would I be eating some of the freshest, local, often organic food, I'd be talking to my good friend and organic gardening guru Mort Mather (who's son, Joshua, runs Joshua's Bar and Grill in Wells). Instead, I'll be taking my son to baseball practice this week, where I'll try to avoid the Fox News brainwash victim, who I wish would just read this. But the organic news I wanted to report is more little thing we can all do to increase awareness of, and demand for, organic food.

When you go in a restaurant, like, oh, I don't know, a certain fine dining establishment near Cooperstown New York, ask what they have that's organic or local (or both). Any food service operation should have to answer that question everyday. If you're going to be hiring, oh, just off the top of my head, say, southern California caterers or Hudson Valley caterers, you should ask them to plan your event using as much fresh, local, organic food as they possibly can. Be willing to pay extra. Make sure other dining patrons or party goers hear you when you ask if they have anything organic on the menu.

If more people did this, you'd start seeing the word "organic" on the menu, or catering choices. Even in the ritziest places in Hawaii or California.