From The Back Fence
Barbee Farms' Newsletter
Volume 1, Issue 5 July 2010
Shopping a Farmer's Market
Many are learning the advantages of eating local. Part of our job here at Barbee Farms is to educate the public. We openly discuss planting tips, rotation, scheduling, fertilization, and even entomology. What I would like to share with you today may be construed by some as selfish. Yes, Barbee Farms grows and sells local produce. Yes, Barbee Farms would love to supply all your fresh vegetable needs. But, most importantly, we want you to be informed.
Did you know the average meal in the US travels 1,500 miles before reaching your plate? When fruits and vegetables are picked they begin to lose vitamins and minerals immediately. The sugars start converting to starches. The nutritional value declines with time. The sooner it gets from the field to the table, the better it is for you and your family. Many varieties available from grocery stores are grown for how well they travel as oppose to how they taste. Food should be grown to be eaten not shipped thousands of miles.
One of the new buzz words is “local.” Beware of grocery stores and farmer’s market vendors who claim their items to be locally grown. No longer does local mean within a close distance. Local to Cabarrus County may mean anywhere on the east coast! Yes, that is better than shipped from across the oceans, but not by much in my opinion. When you buy produce from thousands of miles away, guess where the money goes. When you purchase from a grower as oppose to a retailer, you enable the grower to keep 80 cents to 90 cents per dollar as compared to 9 cents in traditional food markets. This aids your local economy. Purchasing local makes “cents”!
(From this point forward, when the term “local” is used, it refers to an area within, or contiguous to, Cabarrus County.)
Let’s face it, local grown taste better, is better for you, helps the local economy, and reduces your carbon footprint. To make the commitment to eat and source local takes planning. It is easier when you are aware of what is available from within your community. Many farms have retail stands as well as well as the numerous farmers’ markets that are now available. When you shop a farmer’s market, many assume they are purchasing from the “farmer.” Not necessarily true! I would like you to consider the following points the next time you visit any market.
· Ask questions! Where did this come from? What variety is it? Did YOU grow this?
· Know what to be looking for. Become familiar to the growing seasons and estimations of when certain crops will be available. A Product Availability Chart is available from the Barbee Farms website or from the NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
· Taste. Many market vendors offer samples. If a vegetable doesn’t taste good raw, it sure isn’t going to taste good cooked!
Eating local is a commitment. It takes planning and an adventurous spirit however the rewards will far exceed your expectations. Get to know your “local farmer” by his/her first name. Google a recipe for a vegetable you are unfamiliar with. Join a CSA. Educate yourself!
Sincerely,
Tommy, Anna, and Brent Barbee |
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