Support your local Farmer's Market - You'll live longer

[Judland]

This past week, CBC and CTV have aired some very informative programs relating to the food we buy at our favorite grocery and department stores.

First up was Market Place, with a story on how "Product of Canada" doesn't always mean what you think it means.
http://www.cbc.ca/marketplace/2007/10/24/product_of_canada_eh/


Next, was W-Five with a story on how the fish you buy from the freezer at the grocery store is most likely from China, and contains malachite green, a cancer causing chemical that has been banned by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, yet still makes it to your dinner table.
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNe...025/WFIVE_chinafood_071027/20071027?hub=WFive

This information just strengthens my belief of how important it is for us, as consumers, to make the extra effort and support our local Farmer's Markets.

The price of food at the Farmer's Market may be higher at times, but we have to think about the medical costs we're saving by eating safer food.

What I like most about shopping at the Farmer's Market is that I get to meet and speak to the growers themselves. No corporate laywers get in between me and the person who's growing my food.

Anyway, check out these stories and decide for yourself what's most important to you... money or health.

 

[Unforgiven]

I prefer to buy local especially fruit and veggies. It's the quality that draws me in and I don't mind spending money of the goods are excellent quality. Though that should be tempered with the idea that some people are not farmers at all and buy food on the cheap to sell at farmers markets for profit.

There is a spot I try and hit each weekend before all others. Run by some Christian group, the roadside market is directly across from the fields where the produce is grown. So I can drive by anytime to check how close to harvest something I want is. They are also honest and incredibly inexpensive for insecticide and chemical feritlizer free fruit and veggies.

I like that I am on a first name basis with them. They have begun to pick things out for me if they think I will like it. It really pays to get in good with the farmers.

 

[#juan]

We have a local farmer's market that we use during the summer and early fall. We freeze things like corn on the cob and a few other vegetables. During the winter we are kind of stuck. There are some local hot house salad crops available. The big chain supermarkets have California produce all year round but I shop at the farmer's market when I can. When we lived on Gabriola Island I built a greenhouse that gave us green onions, lettuce and tomatoes in winter but it took a lot of work and a fair amount of heat. I don't think I saved a nickle.

 

[Judland]

I guess it depends on how the Farmer's Market is managed. Here, in Saskatoon, the seller must be approved by the B.O.D. and rule number one is: You make it, bake it, grow it and sell it!

It's great that you have a relationship with the farmers. I'm starting to get to know our local farmers, as well, and it sounds like our Farmer's Market is becoming quite successful. It used to be a Saturday thing, but now is also open on Thurday. I also over-heard two of the sellers talking about it possibly being open more days during the week.

That seems to be a good sign, to me.

 

[Tonington]

I love stopping by the farm gate in the summer. In PEI, I can go to 3 farms all within a ten minute drive, and that's the ones I know about. The fresh produce just can't be beat, fresh strawberries at the U-pick, plus the jams,mmmmm.

 

[Unforgiven]

When I lived out on the west coast I would go down to Steveston and get crab right off the boat. Shrimp too, clams and oysters. I sure miss that sort of thing living in Ontario.

 

[s243a]

The food is always better at a farmers market but for someone who lives in the city and doesn’t have a car it is not convienent.

 

[MikeyDB]

How do you suppose that North America's food supply comes to be in the jeopardy it seems to be in given all the reports?

It's called "Let's Make a Deal"

In the U.S. the FDA turns its back on its sworn duty to monitor quality and protect Americans from poison laced sub-standard food produced in China India and many other locations around the world. Why? Because some fat cigar chomping marketing mogul with a Congressman or a Senator or an Assemblyman (Take your pick Americans will sell their duty and loyalty to anyone) in his/her back pocket. The United States of Corporatism will ensure that "producers"...actually not producers at all, but the suits that sit at tables attended by American and Canadian government and business big-wigs at economic summits (safely protected from "consumers" by riot-gear clad goons dressed up like police) who determine profit margins for gargantuan multi-nationals that regard quality and any sense of duty to Americans and Canadians as "negotiable" in the name of profit.

Stephen Harper is "Our Man in Ottawa", prepared to forge deals and form alliances with corrupt regimes in nations like China and Columbia, ready to keep his wealthy buddies protected from the scrutiny of any and all authorities and if by chance a few "liberties" are taken with honesty in printing the reassuring "Made in Canada" or "Product of Canada" on packaging so be it.

You can all vote and talk and carry on at great length about the wonders of freedom and democracy while you purchase lies and garbage supplied to you by the "government" you elect.....

You think you have a place at the economic summits? You really believe that Ottawa or Washington really cares what you think about anything?

Canadians.....Baaa Baaa Baaa

The transfusion of the failure of and complete absence of integrity found common in America is firmly planted in Ottawa.

I'm sure some folk tuned in to CBC this evening to watch as once again the United States of Corporatism was featured on TV celebrating the sweatshops supported in India by the "Gap" and of course many other American multi-nationals....

Please don't be confused about all this...

Canadians and Americans won't work for the wages paid to the people of many other nations for the coffee they drink, the food they eat and the clothing they wear...

Maybe no one has told you yet but you're not human beings anymore...and haven't been for some time...

You're "consumers" and belong to "markets". Your national designation is irrelevant and unimportant.

All hail the capacity for greed!

 

[Unforgiven]

Being a saint isn't easy.

 

[Judland]

I vote and express my opinion by controlling where I spend my money. This is where it hits the corporate fat cats the hardest. They don't listen to protestors, but they'll cut each other's throat to get me to give them my money, rather than the other guy.

So, doing little things, like buying more at the farmer's market (rather than the grocery store) may take me more time, effort and money, but "sticking it to the man" when I can is well worth it to me.

 

[dumpthemonarchy]

When oil hits $200 a barrel we will be eating more local food I think. BC has the Fraser Valley, we can feed ourselves quite well with less food shipped thousands of miles. Yay for peak oil!!!!!