The pineapple was the first clue. Sitting there on the farm stand trying to pretend it belonged. As I perused the rest of the selection, I quickly realized that almost none of it really belonged. After all, this was June in Minnesota, and a cool spring had made the growing season even later than usual. Could this really be a 'farm stand' if all the produce was trucked in from afar?
Turns out the stand was truly run by a farm - and a Minnesota farm at that. And the strawberries they sold were actually grown on that farm! I bought some along with a melon and some sweet corn too. It was convenient and the strawberries were absolutely delicious (although I doubt they were organic.) As the summer progresses, more and more of their produce will come from the farm. But I'm not sure that will stop them from continuing to put pineapples on the cart.
So what do you think? Are fake farm stands misleading? Do you think the general public understands that this produce is not local? Do you think they even care? Or do stands like this have their place as a convenient way to get more fruits & veggies into the mouths of the people?
I think they are misleading. Even at the farmer markets around here, you come upon produce items that are not in season here or even grown around here. Anothe big tipoff that these veggies are being trucked in are the wax on the cucumbers. The majority of small time farmers (not the commercial growers) do NOT use that wax.
Posted by: Laura @ Laura Williams' Musings | June 23, 2008 at 09:09 AM
I suggest folks get to know your farmer by visiting the Farmer's Market or joining a CSA if they have one in their area.
That way you know how your food is grown and where it's grown.
But, the general public doesn't have a clue about much outside of prime-time tv.
Posted by: David Green | June 23, 2008 at 02:40 PM
Our local farmer's market passed the proposal that the food sold must meet the criteria of being grown within a 50 mile radius of the market. Aside from some of the bread and preserve makers, this was welcomed. It is meant to protect the integrity of the market. We did a CSA again this year, love it.
Posted by: erin truog | June 26, 2008 at 04:04 AM
In our old hometown the farmers at our farmer's market had to list what produce was local and if it wasn't where it came from.Before they passed this requirement produce came from everywhere and the general public didn't know. I think that is slightly misleading. You may as well be at the grocery store getting everything you need at one time(saving gas) if it isn't grown locally. I wish we had a CSA around here that would be so wonderful!
Posted by: Mandi | June 26, 2008 at 02:19 PM
Our local farmer's market has a stipulation that participants must farm within nearby counties. They even go look at people's farms to make sure they actually do. All the same, during the years we sold produce at our local farmer's market, there was always a couple that had a stand set up about a half mile up the main drag whose fruit still had the stickers on it. I always considered it to be truly fraudulent.
Posted by: Jeremiah | June 26, 2008 at 08:13 PM