1. Posted by wblakney on Sun, Jul 22, 2007, 8:04 am PDT

There are a number of articles about naturals and organics here that need someone who knows about the subject to be consulted. The articles I have read are very generic and offer little or no real information. Much like a politicak discussion, a lot is said but nothing is learned from the conversation or articles. just my educated opinion. I'm not one of the sheep who just takes it.

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2. Posted by Miamiheat on Sun, Jul 22, 2007, 8:11 am PDT

I would buy organic foods from our farmer's market but they are really high. It is so sad because they are better for you to eat in the long run. They do through your system better.

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3. Posted by Betty Webster on Sun, Jul 22, 2007, 8:20 am PDT

I live on the Central Coast of California so we are very lucky to have good farmer's markets all year. The vendors I like are the ones who grow locally & are very involved with pesticide-free veggies & fruits. Some of the vendors are so conscientious that they wash their produce so that it can be eaten right from their stands. The prices are very good with the exception of tomatoes. I find most of them to be rather expensive. Overall, the best place to purchase produce is at your local markets. Unfortunately, most of what is in supermarkets is almost past the time when produce is at its freshest. I don't blame that on the growers. I blame that on the buyers & markets for not getting it out in time to be very fresh. It can't sit in a central place for days. It has to move quickly. I hope we always have small farmers who will be able to give us the best we can have. I appreciate what they do for all of us. They are the best!

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4. Posted by blingin0001 on Sun, Jul 22, 2007, 8:23 am PDT

Hey wblakney, you are so educated. What a tough sell you are; were all so impressed at your lack of being impressed

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5. Posted by Chris M on Sun, Jul 22, 2007, 8:29 am PDT

The prices are not high when you consider what a farmer goes through to get the food to you at the market. The time it takes to prepare the field, plant the crops, adjust the conditions based on the weather, harvest the crops (freshly picked the morning of the market). There are land costs, resource costs (water, energy). I hear stories of farmers picking vegetables wearing long sleeves and pants in 100 degree weather so mosquitoes don't eat them alive. Farming is hard work and usually a labor of love. Also, keep in mind, the "low cost food" you are comparing their prices to most likely come from a Third World country where the labor and land is very cheap and the conditions are managed with pesticides and herbicides. There are people in the world who have shown that you can live an active life over 100 years old. Why do most people die in their 70's or have their quality of life rapidly deteriorate in their 70's until they die. Probably because of their life-long diet of eating "cheap food", as well as other choices and environmental conditions (smoking, drinking excessively, dangerous job, exposure to chemicals and other harmful materials, etc...). Think about it, you are what you eat...

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6. Posted by gdetech on Sun, Jul 22, 2007, 8:30 am PDT

#2 Prices at farmers markets: Are you expecting the price to be the same or cheaper than the grocery stores with the shipped in produce? Consider the work that goes into the product: planting, growing, harvesting and bringing to market. It takes time and lots of hard work. The quality is good because of the tending and because of the minimum time from field to market. At a farmers market, one has an opportunity to get to know the growers and learn about them and what they bring to market. There is value added. Only you can decide if the added value is worth the price.

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7. Posted by White Organic Polish Princess on Sun, Jul 22, 2007, 8:30 am PDT

I've found too that our farmers markets are much higher than Whole Foods and Walmart for organics. Very sad because many articles I've read recently said find the best prices at your farmers market. I have a family of 6 to feed and we're all organic. I spend about $800 a month on food and that's being very frugal. No premade, fast food or convenience anything. We don't eat a ton of meat either, but a nice selection of beef, bison, poultry, salmon, trout, mahi, eggs, milk, butter, cheese... all organic. Lots of different grains and oils, greens, fruits breads etc. It's just plain expensive, but we cut out ALL eating out so we can justify the extra cost of the lifestyle change. When our home is finally built, we'll have a garden so we'll save money by spending more time working there...

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8. Posted by dotsw2121 on Sun, Jul 22, 2007, 8:46 am PDT

Born Country: Guess I am just plain Jane we grew up eating Organic foods that is all we knew, and loved every bite of it, because it is not only the best tasting, but the best for you, a little horse manure never hurt anyone, and that is what my mother used for fertilizer, it does make the garden grow good, and the food never tasted better. God meat for it to be this way all the chemicals on foods from the grocery is not natural, and isn't good for us anyway. I visit the farmers market each Saturday in our little town, and love what they have to offer, and I don't find it to be more expensive at all.

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9. Posted by D on Sun, Jul 22, 2007, 8:54 am PDT

I enjoyed Betty Webster's comment above, from the central coast of California. I'm returning to that area, after moving to another part of the Country for a few years. I tell everyone I'm moving back for the produce! (which is not entirely a joke!). The availability of fresh produce there, year 'round, is something I took for granted. Supermarkets in most places now feature produce grown thousands of miles away, often in other countries. This is often types of produce that are grown in the very state into which the cheap corporate produce is imported. Watch the labels of origin on your produce, and you'll be shocked. Watch for the frozen produce as well.. often your broccoli is imported from China now. As far as paying more for organic or fresh produce. Honestly? What is your health worth? What other areas do you spend money where you could find the extra to buy good produce, in doing so help yourself, the small farmer, and the environment. Do we really want to condone veggies that travel thousands of miles to the store? And, buying organic is a great goal, and yes it can be more expensive, but buying from local farmers, though not organic is STILL going to be a lot healthier than a corporate farm or imported produce where the pesticide use is so much heavier, the food is exposed to much more chance of contimanation, and is much less fresh. Spend a few extra bucks a week on good produce, cut back on the DVDs and trips to fast food places. Perfect.

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10. Posted by shamrock237 on Sun, Jul 22, 2007, 8:57 am PDT

I would love to get affordable organics and go totally organic free, but in the hudson valley, it is hard if you don't have a semi-large budget. I feed a family of four on about 150.00 a week. And with food allergies, it's even harder(shell fish, iodine, some preservitives etc.) I admire anyone who can do it on a budget.

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11. Posted by alanasmama7 on Sun, Jul 22, 2007, 9:04 am PDT

I live in Southern Cal and the farmer's markets here are wonderful. I go every week religiously and buy local, seasonal and organic (as much as possible). I find the prices cheaper than Whole Foods. Although Trader Joe's is usu cheaper than the market, I don't buy a lot there because (a) the food is shipped in from Mexico, (b) I fear they have lax organic standards,and (c) the quality is often poor. It is not just what I'm putting in my family's mouths that matters to me, but also what farmers are putting into the soil, air and water as well as how humanely their farm animals are treated. I also buy direct to support local farmers. I would like people to think twice about buying organic that has been flown in from New Zealand as I've seen often at Whole Foods. That's just plain ridiculous to me. Please think not just about HOW your food was produced but also WHERE it comes from.

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12. Posted by alanasmama7 on Sun, Jul 22, 2007, 9:17 am PDT

Shamrock237, I feel your pain as I feed 3 on $150/wk. We are not 100% organic either but I buy what I can. Perhaps you can buy local/organic from the farmer's market in the summer? The fruits are so much more delicious!! and the variety of produce is great. It's not just the monotonous and tasteless fruit and veggies you see in the grocery stores.

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13. Posted by Andy G on Sun, Jul 22, 2007, 9:39 am PDT

could u possibly compile a list of farmers market in the san fernando valley and its adjoining areas with the daqys and times. thanks a lot.

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14. Posted by ttdaane on Sun, Jul 22, 2007, 9:59 am PDT

go to: www.seedsofdeception.com (buy the book and read it. You will learn the truth) For a healthy shopping list go to: www.truefoodnow.com To watch a movie about what is happening in the US to the food industry go to: www.thefutureoffood.com for help with organics, healthy shopping, local shopping, voting on what you want here or locally, etc. go to: www.organicconsumers.org

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15. Posted by dting_dtong on Sun, Jul 22, 2007, 9:59 am PDT

Tips from your farmer's market vendor...I work on our family farm and help sell the produce at the local farmer's market twice a week. I help plant, water, check, load, and sort the produce that we sell at the market. I'm not an expert, but I can give you some tips from an "insider." First, to be an "organic" farm is very expensive and difficult. If you find a vendor that is selling under the organic label, yes it will certainly be more expensive because it is a long and expensive process to get the certification. On the other hand, there are many farmers at the market that hold to the same ideals of a little spray as possible and natural farming methods, but haven't paid the money to get the title. These are a great source of healthy food at a much lower price. When shopping these growers DO NOT expect to get the "pretty" produce that you find at your local supermarket. These products have not been sprayed with pesticides and herbicides; therefore, they may have spots or holes where bugs have been munching. Understand that if you wash your produce when you get home, you're much more likely to get these bugs and their natural germs off easier than you could wash off the chemicals on the "pretty" produce. The produce that we are producing is often labled as expensive, but when you stop to think about the reasons for this you may change your mind. A good example is heirloom tomatoes. These are non-genetically modified seeds. They are not disease-resistant and the number of tomatoes that don't make it is much higher. What you find at your local market is a little more expensive, fresh, good for your body and generally pretty ugly. But WOW do they taste so much better than those genetically-modified, disease-resistant, pretty and perfect red tomatoes you find at Wal-Mart. One more tip, many times markets will have stipulations on farmers and where their produce comes from, but just as often they do not. Check with your market and see what rules they have in place for farmers, their produce origins and the precent they have to actually grow. Don't trust that everyone is telling you the truth on where their produce came from...many are just looking to make a living and sell their wares. Look for the ones that are proud of their produce, offer samples and can show you pictures and tell stories of where their produce came from. Yes, it takes a little extra time...but isn't it worth it?

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16. Posted by Raymond J on Sun, Jul 22, 2007, 10:24 am PDT

I think some of you need to realize the difference between produces's value and the cost to the consumer. No one is saying that the organic items are not worth the price but that they are high in relation to the non-organic items. If I have to feed a family with the cost of organic food I can go broke because groceries are high enough as it is.

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17. Posted by Milaya on Sun, Jul 22, 2007, 10:51 am PDT

We only eat organic foods and I have found that even though we may spend a little more money for them...we waste less food. Our health is worth the extra money!

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18. Posted by likes20 on Sun, Jul 22, 2007, 10:57 am PDT

#7, you're just paying the @5540L3 tax for egregiously contributing to overpopulation of the planet. You may think it's you god-given right to have as many children as you choose, but this sort of attitude is what leads to the high demand, jacks up prices, and requires high volume farming techniques. It's the poorer people who can't afford to pay such premiums that end up eating the leftovers in such a world. Thanks for doing your part!

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19. Posted by alanasmama7 on Sun, Jul 22, 2007, 11:14 am PDT

Find a farmer's market near you: http://www.ams.usda.gov/farmersmarkets/map.htm Save money by joining Community Supported Agriculture. You get your box of produce weekly. http://www.localharvest.org/csa/ And save by growing your own tomatoes, onions, peppers, garlic, and herbs. It's a great way to help kids get in touch with nature and where food comes from. Heirloom seeds/plants are best, but hybrids are better than nothing http://www.heirloomseeds.com/

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20. Posted by dwcodger on Sun, Jul 22, 2007, 11:23 am PDT

Organic? What a joke. The FDA allows over 100 herbicides, pesticides, fungicides, and the growers are allowed to call it Organic. Some of these chemicals are as bad as DDT. There definition of Organic was defined by the big conglomerate food producers. Also, Very Important!!! Do not eat any thing from China, they use chemicals worse than DDT, and they send it to the USA. My brother lives there and said that it is very hard to get good quality food, even in the country side. 80% of the garlic now being sold in the USA Super markets is from China, DO NOT EAT. Unless you like to eat raw human manure. They go to the bathroom right in the fields. – Oh, the same goes for Mexico. But the FDA already knows this, and they ignore it all in the name of profits. Have a nice day!!!!!

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21. Posted by dwcodger on Sun, Jul 22, 2007, 11:55 am PDT

oops...Not FDA but USDA - whats the diff.

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22. Posted by trepidation on Sun, Jul 22, 2007, 12:51 pm PDT

I work at a farmer's market and the most common question I get is, "Is this organic?" When I say "no", the customer often looks distraught, pissed, disappointed, annoyed and even sad. I try to explain to them that Organic foods are hard to come by, locally that is. Then they tell me that there is such and such a stand out on some street that is organic. Well, I'll tell you one thing... they're lying. Ask about the farm, which farm does it come from. If you live in Southern California, my best guess is that it is NOT organic. Fruits like strawberries are very hard to grow organically. Though the customer insists that the fruit is organic, I hate to mention that their precious stand gets their fruits and vegetables from the same place we do, they just sell it for more. My suggestion to you is to make sure that the most minimal amount of chemicals are used. People complain about silk worms in the corn, that is because the farmer does his best to NOT use pesticide. Ask when it is picked (like mentioned in the article) and ask if it is sorted by hand. Stands that leave their fruits and vegetables in their original boxes, most likely did NOT sort through them. So who knows what could be in there, things like mold, bugs and rotten fruit/vegetables can be linger somewhere inside. Local is the most important factor. You are supporting a local farmer and eating the freshest possible produce. Completely organic is great, but only if you are willing to pay a good price for them (in Southern California). Otherwise, please do not make the sour face at the stand workers when they tell you "Yes, the farmer does spray some aphicide on the fruit".

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23. Posted by Betty Webster on Sun, Jul 22, 2007, 2:22 pm PDT

It's interesting to hear about others and their experiences with farmer's markets. I was under the impression that if the certified organic license was issued to any farmer, it stood for either no pesticides or very little. There are usually a few farmers whose produce is not certified organic so they have to disclose this. We are very fortunate that our farmer's markets are not expensive here. I realize that in colder climates it isn't possible to have the variety we are able to purchase. We do have our seasonal vegetables and fruit, but we also are able to purchase some things that can't be grown where the weather is very cold. We also try to grow some fruit ourselves (trees were here when we moved in so try to take advantage of it) We really get a break because our growing season is so long on the Central Coast. Just a few of the markets I have seen here are: Arroyo Grande, CA (has great produce). A lot of he same vendors are in San Luis Obispo early in the a.m. on Saturdays before traveling down to A.G. to open by noon. The Channel Islands market in Oxnard is also good. (You should ask, though, if the produce is certified organic. They allow many vendors to sell without a certified license). I haven't been to the market in Santa Barbara, but I've heard it is pretty good. The Fillmore area is good and sometimes there are sales when fruit is in season and they have an abundance of everything. The taste is very good. Good luck to all in finding what is best for you!

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24. Posted by nikodemus71 on Sun, Jul 22, 2007, 4:21 pm PDT

Not real sure where all that came from, likes20. But I live in the Corn Belt in a town of 25k people, surrounded by towns of anywhere from 500 to 6000 residents. Those small towns are FULL of families that consist of two parents and 6 to 10 kids. The difference being, those kids are busting their butts out on the farm, helping to feed chickens, pigs and cattle, gather eggs, plant and harvest corn, wheat, milo, soybeans, etc instead of sitting around the house playing XBox 360 all day. Instead of being part of the problem, those two parents and their half-dozen kids are producing enough to feed not only themselves, but hundreds or even thousands of others. The east and west coasts should quietly say a prayer for us "flyover states" each and every day. If not for us, your 7 million population cities are in trouble.

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25. Posted by on Mon, Jul 23, 2007, 3:37 am PDT

This is for AndyG. I live in the North Country of NH where there is a very short growing season. I knew of a couple of markets in my area but was looking for markets in other parts of the state for more selection and longer seasons. I went to the State(NH) Dept. of Agriculture website and found a wonderful list of all the markets, Names, Addresses, Days/Times and what to expect to find for sale all listed by County. Perhaps your State will also provide such a list.

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26. Posted by Carmen on Mon, Jul 23, 2007, 8:54 am PDT

I sell organic vegetables (mostly tomatoes) at a farmer's market and my prices are less than the largest local grocery store in town and the produce much better. If you go to large very popular farmer's markets the chances are that you will be charged more than at the small ones just because there is more competition for buying the produce. I live less than a mile from mine so I can sell for less because my transportation costs are minimal as well as what I pay to sell at the market. (Almost $100.00 less a week than in the Twin Cities.) This year I had to forget everything but my heirloom tomatoes because daily watering is too time consuming and expensive due to the drought in most of the US. As to this article being too generic, you would be surprised at what the customers fail to ask. One of the sellers here says she uses organic methods which is hard to believe knowing she uses a very toxic fertilizer which I would not touch with a pole. Ask where they buy what they put on the soil and the plants. Then check out if the company is organic for the next time you are out buying.

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27. Posted by C.A. D on Mon, Jul 23, 2007, 11:06 am PDT

I live in Orange County, CA and our Farmer's Markets are great. Where else can you get BABY vegetables that are so tender they barely need cooking? Loven them.

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