From Jeff Cox

The first farmers’ markets are opening up in the warmer parts of the country, and soon they’ll be opening everywhere. You can find the markets nearest you by visiting www.localharvest.org.

But when you do go to a farmers’ market, some questions arise.

The seller may say he or she is organic, but how do you know for sure? Many small farmers and truck patch operators may very well be organic but don’t want to go through the paperwork and expense of getting organic certification. Some unscrupulous sellers may tell customers what the customers want to hear and claim their produce is organic when it isn’t.

First, ask the seller is he’s certified organic. Here in California, the certifying agency is CCOF (California Certified Organic Farmers) and the seller may have a CCOF sign displayed. That’s your guarantee that the food is raised organically. There are certifying agencies across America. If there’s no certification but the seller claims his produce is organic, here are some questions you can ask to make sure the food is organic.

Ask how he controls cabbage worms. Any organic grower will know right away that Bacillus thuringiensis, called Bt, is the sure-fire organic control for those little green worms that chew on the leaves of cole crops (cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, turnips, rutabagas, kohlrabi, bok choy, and many other vegetables). If he says that he doesn’t have a problem with cabbage worms, be skeptical. White cabbage moths, the adult form of the green caterpillars, are ubiquitous.

Ask how he controls corn earworms. Most organic growers will tell you that the worms don’t eat much, and to just break off the tip of the ear where the worm has set up shop. There are some organic controls like twist-tying the tip and putting a drop or two of mineral oil on the tip, but they are impractical for anyone growing a farm-sized amount of corn. A few earworms, by the way, are a good guarantee that the corn is indeed organic, and the farmer may tell you that.

Ask his soil pH. Any organic farmer will know his soil pH. In a good organic soil, it will be between 6.0 and 7.0, ideally about 6.5, or slightly acid. At 6.5, most soil nutrients are most available to most crops. If the soil is more acidic or alkaline—that is, out of the 6.0 to 7.0 range—certain nutrients become locked up and unavailable to crops. So a real organic farmer knows his pH and strives to keep it as close to 6.5 as possible. Conventional farmers are more concerned with the amount of chemical nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium they’re putting down than with soil pH.

Keep in mind that there are two kinds of sellers at farmers’ markets—actual farmers who grew their fruits or produce, and purveyors who buy wholesale and sell retail from stands at the farmers’ markets. It’s easy to tell which is which by asking this question:

Which variety is this? A farmer will always know the variety names of all his fruits and vegetables, or his breed of hen if he’s selling eggs. After all, he had to buy the seed, the woody plants, or the chicks, and he’s carefully raised them. Choosing the varieties he likes best and that have the highest quality is a big part of organic farming. A purveyor may know the variety names of the fruit or vegetables he’s selling, but often may not. If he doesn’t know, that’s as close to a guarantee that he’s a purveyor as you’ll get.

The clincher, of course, is to ask, “Where’s your farm?” The farmer will know, the purveyor won’t, or he’ll name someplace far away. Remember, the best way to eat is organic, local, and in season. Don’t be afraid to ask questions at the farmers’ market. Real organic farmers are proud of their efforts and will communicate that to you.
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Jeff Cox is author of The Organic Cook’s Bible and The Organic Food Shopper’s Guide and lives in Sonoma County, California.
Image Credit: © Matt Ragen | Dreamstime.com
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