The fruit and vegetables available in nearly every corner market in New York City seem fresher than what Bossy buys from rural farm markets. How can that be?
The best looking items get shipped off. Usually the best tasting items are at your local farmers’ market.
5
on September 14th, 2011 at 9:42 pm
Joie said:
Well, Kathy, there’s a little more to it than that. I live in a rural area near D.C. I am very into the organic and local stuff. I frequent a variety of farmer’s markets in my area and I call around looking for things from farmers when I need them. What I have found is that a lot of small, organic farms do not find that the people in the rural areas will pay the money they need to cover their costs. They also can’t get the critical mass near their actual farms. I seriously had a woman tell me that “people out here aren’t worth my time but you can come to Takoma Park (50 miles away) and buy my arugula plants.” It’s the dark side of the local farm movement.
There’s also That Thing where at your rural farm market, you’re getting food that was picked when it was “done,” whereas what was picked to be shipped to market – which is going to be manhandled, bounced around, left on the loading dock a day or two, etc. – is generally picked while a couple days out from “done” so that it’ll still have its Pretty after all that time and rough-handling, so that we consumer-types will buy them. Because if I wanted {whatever fruit} sauce…I woulda BOUGHT {whatever fruit} sauce…and OHMYGAH, is that a BRUISE on that PEACH?! {faints!}
Because New Yorkers will settle for nothing less?
Preservatives? GMF’s?
pesticides?
The best looking items get shipped off. Usually the best tasting items are at your local farmers’ market.
Well, Kathy, there’s a little more to it than that. I live in a rural area near D.C. I am very into the organic and local stuff. I frequent a variety of farmer’s markets in my area and I call around looking for things from farmers when I need them. What I have found is that a lot of small, organic farms do not find that the people in the rural areas will pay the money they need to cover their costs. They also can’t get the critical mass near their actual farms. I seriously had a woman tell me that “people out here aren’t worth my time but you can come to Takoma Park (50 miles away) and buy my arugula plants.” It’s the dark side of the local farm movement.
There’s also That Thing where at your rural farm market, you’re getting food that was picked when it was “done,” whereas what was picked to be shipped to market – which is going to be manhandled, bounced around, left on the loading dock a day or two, etc. – is generally picked while a couple days out from “done” so that it’ll still have its Pretty after all that time and rough-handling, so that we consumer-types will buy them. Because if I wanted {whatever fruit} sauce…I woulda BOUGHT {whatever fruit} sauce…and OHMYGAH, is that a BRUISE on that PEACH?! {faints!}