FAQ
WHERE DO WE SOURCE OUR CRICKETS?
We are proud to source our crickets from farms that align with our sustainability and regenerative ethics. We are currently working with Chapul and Cricket One as our main suppliers. Cricket One creates a nutrient dense product that is rich in protein, iron, B12, prebiotic fiber for a healthy gut and omega-3 fatty acids.
BUT REALLY…IS THERE THAT MUCH PROTEIN?
YES! About 2 Tablespoons of cricket powder equal 14 grams of protein. Think about that, 2 Tablespoons! This is comparable to a serving of meat, but much healthier for the individual and the food system at large.
ARE CRICKETS GOOD FOR ANYTHING OTHER THAN PROTEIN?
Oh yeah baby! Crickets are a superfood, providing iron, calcium, zinc, magnesium, B-vitamins (yes B12!), fatty acids and prebiotic fiber.
WHY ARE ORCHESTRA PROVISIONS SPICES A GREAT ENTRANCE TO ENTOMOPHAGY?
Truly, the only obstacle to entomophagy is a systematic disgust toward eating insects. This integrated phobia has no basis in history, and is a relatively recent cultural phenomenon of the western world. Many cultures never abandoned the paleolithic diet that embraced a diet whose staple was insect life. In a time when the “Paleo diet” is touted, it would be most authentic to revive and reintegrate this earth friendly source of protein. When a group of children tasted some raw crickets I was sampling they reveled in the novelty of EATING BUGS! And then…”They taste like sunflower seeds" and “Can I have another one?” and “They are actually really good!” Kids are wonderful, because they are not yet affected by social norms or infiltrated with fear of the unknown. For little ones, the world is unknown and oh so interesting. I believe this is why they embrace the movement, and good thing they are because they hold the future in their hands.
Spices are a great starting point for folks who back the theory, but just can’t quite get on board with crunching into a cricket full-heartedly. Orchestra Provision spices are easy on the eyes, nose and taste buds, making it easier to get to the realization that: “They are actually really good”
WHY ARE INSECTS MORE SUSTAINABLE THAN CONVENTIONAL ANIMAL AGRICULTURE?
According to a 2013 UN/FAO report, insects have a great feed to growth conversion rate, which essentially means they efficiently convert feed to body mass. Insects require a fraction of the land use as the cattle industry, and a shockingly small amount of feed and water are required in comparison. Cricket waste, contrary to other animal turds, is incredibly earth friendly generating more income for farmers. Also known as “Frass”, cricket poop is incredibly useful as natural fertilizer. Crickets have a very small carbon footprint when considering other protein industries, emitting a percentage of carbon that pales in comparison to other animal agriculture practices. When we consider the edible portions of animals we raise, and the waste of parts dubbed inedible, the cricket is favorable in this arena as well because most of the cricket is edible, whereas a large percentage of each cow goes to waste. Crickets reach maturation around day 30 meaning more product more frequently without the use of chemicals, hormones or antibiotics. There is currently a trend toward plant protein as a more sustainable alternative to animal protein and insects require a fraction of the land and water as plant proteins. If you are interested in the amazing work of the UN and its support of our industry you can download the PDF including the actual report here: http://www.fao.org/3/i3253e/i3253e.pdf
ARE THE SPICES ORGANIC?
All of the Orchestra Provision spices contain organic crickets and mostly certified organic spices. We are working toward a fully organic certified product.
WILL THERE BE MORE?
Orchestra Provisions is a small business with a big appetite. Stay tuned for new flavors, products…and more!
WHO ARE WE?
Orchestra Provisions the brain child of Kate Stoddard, an Idaho native with an undergraduate degree in philosophy and a masters in the science of nutrition. With a passion for the outdoors, a dedicated ethic to find balance through sustainable solutions, and a science-backed education in nutrition, Kate created Orchestra Provisions to solve current problems facing strained food systems, limited resources and a booming human population. Kate has spent her life cultivating the tools and insights that have enabled her to weave culinary creativity, nutrition and sustainability into products that support the evolution of food perception (dare we say regression) to make a difference. Join the orchestra today, be the change.
ARE CRICKETS VEGAN?
Ah yes, good question, this dialogue is very interesting indeed. I am a big fan of the type of conversation surrounding this topic as it is forcing people to ask more questions about their motivations for their dietary choices, and leads most of us to act congruently to our belief systems. The short answer is PROBABLY NOT, but it is much more complicated than that. There seem to be more than one type of vegan out there, for purposes of this abbreviated FAQ page I will narrow vegans into two categories, undoubtedly there are more. 1. Those who don’t wish to harm living beings. 2. Sustainably motivated vegans. Of course the first group are not going to support entomophagy, but I have seen the second group stepping up to the insect industries, even creating a term “ento-vegan”. Vegetarians and vegans can struggle with meeting nutritional demands depending on their genetic dispositions and diet, and for group #2 many deficiencies can be resolved by including insect sourced nutrition.
WAIT…HOW DO THEY KILL THE CRICKETS!?
We know that to some of the most moral customers, this is incredibly important, and of course this is a shared value of ours. The extent to which an insect like the cricket experiences pain is largely unknown and there is a lack of research on the topic. I am sure that as the industry continues to grow and flourish this will be addressed. The common method for transitioning from a life state to a food state is to freeze the crickets into a hibernation state, then deprive that environment of oxygen. This dehydrating process both preserves and ends the life cycle.
THE SPICES ARE GF, DF & SUGAR-FREE?
Yes.