What To Ask At Your Local Farmer's Market

    

So, you want local, sustainable and pure produce.  You want to cut out food miles, support local systems and you believe that local agriculture is vital for a healthy community.  You also want to be sure that the food you are putting in your body is not only the best for you nutritionally, but safe for you without heavy metals or chemicals.  So how can you be sure?  For starters, you really can't - not here in Colorado anyway.  Some states, like California, have inspectors to ensure that farms stand by their word.  In Colorado you have to ask, ask, ask!  So what to ask?  Let's dig in.

These are the top 10 questions you must ask the farmers at your local farmer's market:

1.                   Do you grow all this produce yourself?  Believe it or not, there are far too many re-sellers claiming to be local.  Yes, this does happen.  It happens a lot.  Not all "farm-stands" are actually run by a farm.
2.                   "Do you use chemicals on your crops" is a terrible questions, and one that should be asked like this: "What exactly do you use on your crops for fertilizer, pest, fungus and weed control?"  This question is sure to weed out those that are pure vs. those that are not - but only if you hold their feet to the fire in answering the questions.  KEEP THIS IN MIND - JUST BECAUSE SOMETHING IS CERTIFIED ORGANIC, DOES NOT MEAN IT IS PURE FOR YOU OR GOOD FOR THE EARTH!
3.                   "Do you use diatomaceous earth (DE) on your crops or near your crops?” Not only can even "Certified Organic" DE be loaded with arsenic but it is designed to kill bacteria and the rest of the soil food web (yes, DE kills the life in the soil)!  There is no pesticide on earth that targets only a single organism.  All pesticides kill beneficials also - all and always!  By putting DE on crops the soil food web gets destroyed and certain toxins can entire the food supply.  
4.                   “Do you use Fish Emulsion or Fish at all in any way on your crops as fertilizer?”  One of the reasons that conventional fertilizers are bad is because of the heavy metals in them.  Fish byproducts have some of the highest amounts of toxic heavy metals of all.  Also, buying these products is supporting an industry that is one of the worst when it comes to sustainability and the destruction of our earth, the commercial fishing industry.
5.                   “Do you use tractors? If so, in what manner?  Do you till your soil?  Do you use the tractors on your crops, to cultivate your fields?” Tractors are terrible for our environment, leak, leave heavy metal residue, spew toxic emissions on your crops and compact the soil.  Tractors are a no-no and have been one of the biggest mistakes our modern agriculture has ever implemented.
6.                   “What kind of irrigation methods do you use?  Is it flood irrigation?  If so, why?  Do you have any plans to switch over to a more sustainable / regenerative form of irrigation?”  Water is a renewable resource, yes, but it moves.  In Colorado, 90% of the water used in the state is for agriculture and we are sucking our aquifers dry – many have less than 20 years left! – While you are at it, ask for a water report to see if it is clean!
7.                   “Are your seeds certified Organic?  Are they local?  Where do you source your seeds from?”  Did you know that unless a seed is certified Organic, it is required BY LAW that they be treated with a fungicide?  That’s a major problem!
8.                   “Where is your farm located and can I visit your farm?” If a farmer EVER says “no” to that question, then don’t buy from them.  What are they hiding?  This is a good rule of thumb.
9.                   “How exactly are your animals raised and cared for?  Are they on pasture?  Do you use hormones or antibiotics? What are they fed? Are they soy-free? How long do you keep your chickens? Do you heat your coops?  What percentage of protein do you feed them? Do you de-beak them? Where do you source your animals from and why?”  Kind of a mixture of the same theme – do you treat your animals with love, care and give them a healthy long life?
10.               “Does your farm have any certifications?  If not, why not?” Just because a farm is not certified is NOT a reason to not support them.  However, their answer to this question can give you a lot of insight!
There are a lot more questions we can ask our local farmers, but these ten are a good starting point for sure.  Remember these rules:  Just because something is certified Organic does not mean it is pure and does not mean it is even good for you and does not mean that the animals are truly cared for.  Asking questions, knowing your farmer and learning about true, Regenerative Agriculture is vital for your health and the health of our planet and communities. 

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