Is all farm stand and farmers market produce really local?
Farm stands that are located on a farm may sell their own produce only, or pool the produce from neighboring farms — but they may also sell items that are shipped from afar — perhaps in order to lure customers with one-stop produce shopping. If you see bananas at a farm stand, it’s a dead giveaway that all the food there is not locally grown. As far as food stands at intersections, all, some or none of the food sold there may be local. If you want to know what is locally grown, you may need to ask. Farmers markets generally feature food grown by the farmers who are there with their wares. Is all local food organic? Not necessarily. The “buy local” movement has deep roots in organic farming because of the value many supporters place on planet-friendly growing methods. You’ll most likely find some organic produce at farmers markets, but much of the food is bound to be grown using conventional fertilizers and insecticides. The varieties of fruits and vegetables there just haven’t been cul
