Take a Cool Guess—The Fun Quiz on Renewable Energy and Environmental Sustainability. Today’s Topic: Sustainable Ag
![20181107_193610[1]](http://www.2greenenergy.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/20181107_1936101-1.jpg)
Question: What did the ingredients in this blender at 2GreenEnergy “headquarters” become seconds after this pic was taken, mostly sourced from a local farmers’ market? Hint: What you can’t see are Worcestershire sauce, white vinegar, a small jalapeno pepper, ginger root (my secret weapon), and salt.
How many such markets are there in the U.S., regularly dispensing locally grown food?
Answer: Can be found at Clean Energy Answers.
Relevance: People of compassion buy as much as possible from farmers’ markets, as this supports an industry that is extremely important in reducing the eco-footprint of food cultivation and transportation, as well as the use of chemicals, many of them toxic to the environment–and to you.
Craig,
I’m not sure about the “local” in Farmers markets. In most advanced nations, a very large proportion of the population live in large cities within a huge ‘metro-megalopolis’. Such locales are increasing and access to ‘farmers’ markets must be virtually impossible.
The food products from such locals (on the outskirts of giant industrial cities) isn’t always the healthiest place to produce food, especially food sold direct without any health inspection or public health standards.
I’m not decrying farmers markets, often the produce is superior to that that sold commercially, or maybe just part of the crop which doesn’t fit the exact packaging/marketing sizes required by supermarkets.
However, it’s wise to be cautious. Remember, even if the vendor is honest, you have no comeback if anything goes wrong. My son recently discovered to his horror that the lovely old couple who had been for many years selling a range of produce at the local farmers market, lived and produced food from heavily contaminated land in a nearby county.
These folk were probably sincere and didn’t believe anything was wrong with their farm produce. The industrial pollution occurred many years before, the war time plants had been demolished over 50 years ago and were long forgotten.
On testing their produce, my son was relieved to discover no evidence of contamination, nevertheless the risk was real and may have proved disastrous. However, on examination of the property the Health authorities discovered the risk too high for food production or even residence and condemned the property, with an environmental clean-up order.
The California Farmers’ Markets Association (CFMA)is a fine organization that works hard to certify stall holders produce and ensure high standards. The efforts are reinforced by legislation, yet a recent survey of over 500 market revealed products such as Honey is not always locally produced or even honey! The survey concluded 72% of all honey marketed through farmers markets in California, was adulterated with rice or corn syrup or not from the advertised source of pollen.
I guess, it’s a case of ‘Caveat Emptor’, and knowing the vendor when shopping at a farmers market.