My greens just flew in from Chile, and boy are they tired!

[Naiad]

It was such a gorgeous day that I decided to walk to the nearby market after going to the gym.

They had a display of HUGE bags of organic spinach and salad greens, stacked high as the eye could see and priced at $1.99. My heart be still... so, I grabbed a bunch and as I was standing on line, I noticed the containers said: PRODUCT OF CHILE.

Mixed baby greens from Chile? Not that I have anything against latin america, but, is it necessary to get a simple crop like lettuce from hundreds and hundreds of miles away?

Am I being weird or preachy after listening to Treehugger podcasts on my iTunes or IS it a little strange? You'd think after seeing nearly all produce as coming from California here in NYC, I'd be immune... but, it bothered me on a few levels :rolleyes:

[Zuri]

Seems a bit strange to me. Hmmmm....

[RawFoodieMom]

I hear you... I find it really annoying to go to my local farmer's market in the middle of summer even, and see produce with California stickers on them (I'm on the other side of the continent). Greens would be even more annoying to me. I don't mind it in the grocery store because I expect to see stuff from all over the globe. But at the farmer's market?? I like to see local produce... you know, from their own farms... that's why I go there! I thought that was why it was called the FARMERS market...

Little pet peeve, sorry, you opened a little can of worms... ;)

Some (a few) of the vendors are really cool though... so I will still go...

But I do hear you...

Debra

[Veganforlife]

What tends to freak me somewhat is the use of pesticides in other countries. I just don't know what the standards are.:confused:

[Naiad]

What tends to freak me somewhat is the use of pesticides in other countries. I just don't know what the standards are.:confused:

That's exactly what my mom said when I told her. "Who the heck even knows what "organic" farming regulations are there?"

It seems kind of suspect to grow a crop like baby greens outside of the country, especially since sustainability and eco-responsibility go hand in hand with organic farming.

This is the company btw...

http://www.albertsorganics.com/forRetailers_gratefulHarvest.asp

[RowanC]

Naiad, I agree with your mother 100%
I don't trust my own government's regulations, why should I trust Chile's?

Here's the answer:

Support Your Local Farmer's Market!!

[Naiad]

Naiad, I agree with your mother 100%
I don't trust my own government's regulations, why should I trust Chile's?

Here's the answer:

Support Your Local Farmer's Market!!

I try to go to the one at Union Square, but, I'll be honest... living in NYC and having hypocondria/OCD do not often result in happiness.

One of the first times I went to the farmers market, I saw a filthy homeless guy digging in one of the boxes of organic, loose greens at one of the stalls, eating right from it. The owners asked him to leave, but, my mouth was already on the floor and I was backpeddling away.

I was with my dad, who quipped, "You know the fancy teas you drink? How much do you want to bet that some guy, in a dirty loincloth, grabbed those tea leaves after scratching himself and shoved it into a sack that hasn't been washed in years. Never mind that trucks and cars are blowing pollution over everything here. Hospitals aren't even sterile... you expect food to be?"

Reminds me of when I was 12 and at one of those bag your own candy places. I saw a little kid grab some stuff out of a lower bin and shove it into his mouth. His mom then smacked him upside the head and made him SPIT THE CANDY BACK INTO THE BIN.

I know my dad is right, but, uuuugh, it's so hard to cope sometimes when you know how thoughtless and gross people can be :(

Sorry... this was less a response to your farmer's market idea and more of a rant about humanity :p

[cayako]

OMG! those stories are horrifying and hilarious...

my suggestion, plant your own! lettuce and tomatoes are easy container plants and with the humidity of NYC, you'll have awesome veggies in no time! lettuce should take 2 weeks and tomatoes will take a little longer, but if you do cherry tomatoes, they just keep producing. then you know EXACTLY what goes into your mouth...

the bulk story makes me wonder about my local co-ops....ai! but i'm not sick yet!