Eat Local. Die Trying?
Berry season is upon us and farms in this area have initiated their annual ‘Pick Your Own Berries’ (PYOB) events/activities. Children by the bus load head to the plethora of local farms during the summer to fill their baskets with vivaciously, ruby red strawberries. Yummy.
Before scheduling our trip to one of the local farms, I called a couple of them to ask whether their berries are organic.
Five out of the five local farms I called do NOT grow their berries organically.
While each farmer was incredibly friendly and honest, one farmer, in particular, was a little more forthcoming.
“Hum, yes, they are sprayed (pesticides). They’re sprayed a couple of times during the season. You aren’t allowed to eat the strawberries within 24 hours after spraying them, so we try to spray them at least a week before picking.”
You can’t eat them within 24 hours of spraying the strawberries?? Is it even safe to ingest them a week after they are sprayed?
The EPA’s website states http://www.epa.gov/opp00001/food/pest.htm:
“Pesticides may harm a developing child by blocking the absorption of important food nutrients necessary for normal healthy growth…Also, there are “critical periods” in human development when exposure to a toxin can permanently alter the way an individual’s biological system operates.”
FRIGHTENING. Side effects are scary. But what is even more disconcerting is that there is actually a period in which ingesting the pesticide can out right KILL you.
I cancelled our PYOB trip. Will go as soon as I find an organic farm nearby.
In the meantime, I’d like to ask you all a question: should we buy local grown produce, even if that produce isn’t grown organically? The strawberries discussed above are grown only a few miles from my house (great for environment) and are $3 dollars cheaper (by the pound) than the organic strawberies at the grocery store, but is it worth the potential risk to our health?
Popularity: 47% [?]
But is eating “organic” fruits from 5,000 miles really better? Considering shipment times, quality control from a distance…as well as the more support for local farmers, the greater their ability to go organic…. I don’t have an answer but these are questions I ask all myself all the time at the store. What do others think?
Personally, I think that a major part of the appeal associated with buying from local farmers is knowing that the food comes from a quality source. From this perspective, buying from a local farmer who sprays pesticides is supporting conventional farming and defeating much of the purpose.
Sure, organic produce that comes from 5,000 miles away requires shipping which can a strain on the environment and often arrives less fresh and nutritious, but I’ll take this any day over foods that are sprayed with chemicals.
In regard to the kids, I think canceling the trip could teach them a valuable lesson about farming and food quality.
At the end of the day, it comes down to choosing your health or the environment. Ideally, it would be great to support both, but if I’m forced to make the choice, I’m going to choose my health.
That’s a really good point. Make a statement that being local does not exempt one from being conscious of health.