I’ll admit it, I buy most of my produce from a big box supercenter.
Like it or not, most of my purchasing decisions are based on finances.
And organic fruits, vegetables and meats don’t usually make it to my grocery basket.
I have, however, found some information that may sway me into spending the extra bucks necessary to ensure that the foods I eat aren’t covered in dangerous pesticides and chemicals.
There are certain farm-grown goods that clearly are worth the additional cost.
1. Apples– Are picked once a year and held for months? Yuck!
2. Celery– This vegetable is a literal sucking machine and toxins go straight to the stalk.
3. Sweet Bell Peppers– Ewwwww… pesticides and toxins are sealed in with the wax that coats them!
4. Peaches, Strawberries, Imported Nectarines and Domestic Blueberries– Bugs love these sweet fruits, and farmers use heavy doses of Pesticides. No bueno.
5. Grapes– Oh, we love grapes and I am so sorry to see this yummy fruit on the list.
They’re sold by the pound (and a good bag is about 3 pounds). Grapes can get quite expensive.
But there are more than 64 chemicals on grapes and that is not something I can easily swallow.
6. Spinach and Lettuce– Again, too many chemicals. More than 78 different pesticides found on sampled heads.
7. Cucumbers– Coating is the culprit on cucumbers, the food grade wax encasing the pesticides.
8. Potatoes– Toxic compounds inhibit growth of roots and eyes. Toxic? Yes, I said toxic.
9. Green Beans and Kale– The T Word Returns!
Toxic chemicals found on these green goodies affect the nervous system.
Lucky for us, there are local farmer’s markets, co-ops, and and shop local initiatives to help us find goods that are grown, raised, and farmed close by and sold for a fair price. Here in the Piedmont Triad of North Carolina, we have the
Piedmont Triad Farmers Market in Colfax and the Cobblestone Farmers Market in Old Salem.
(Just as a start. This area has lots and lots of choices if you’re looking for a good farmer’s market!)
P.S. The Cobblestone Farmers Market has just received National Attention as one of the Best in America.
If you’re in Winston-Salem, NC be sure to shop on Tuesdays at Krankies or Saturdays at Old Salem.