Local Produce?

I am in Ohio. This time of year, we have all these little fruit and vegatable stands that pop up on different street corners. I normally get most of my produce from Aldi, but keep thinking I need to support our local farmers every once in a while. So, I stop at this one stand that pops up every year. I get a few tomaotoes and a few other things. I paid a LOT more than I would have paid at Aldi.

When I go to wash the tomatoes, I notice a little sticker on one. It clearly says, "Product of Mexico". I was soooooo pissed, you can't even imagine!

So, does this happen a lot? Are these stands just reselling produce? I always thought they sold locally grown food, maybe I am just naive.

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I don't think it happens a lot, but I've heard it does happen. There are scammers in every area .... scammers making money pretending to be farmers, scammers pretending to collect for charity but keeping the money for themselves, scammers pretending to be mystery shopping companies ...... it's downright depressing.....

Spaz,

Are you by chance close to actual farms? If you are in a rural area (as where I grew up in Lancaster, PA), we would always find little stands at the ends of the farmer's driveways.

Couple of years ago when DH and I lived in PA, we saw them all of the time. Another thing - do you have many Amish farms around? Sometimes the Amish will also have stands that sell produce.

I'd be a bit po'd too if I found a sticker like that!

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Proud To Be A Soldier's Mom

We have a few farmer's markets and I've been sticking with them. We also have a local grocery chain that actually has a large portion of their produce department devoted to local farmers and includes the names and photographs. Even at the farmer's market, they will have some produce from other areas when it is out of season here. I've never found them trying to pass it off as locally grown.

Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.

I love our local stands and would be upset finding that...has not happened here, just too many farmers selling their produce. The college has a farmers market on Sundays, on the back road are plenty of stands from the local farmers. Sprouts (favorite) and now being shopped, is an indoor farmers market and has fresh produce at really low prices, like red peppers 3 for 1.00...love it!!

Live consciously....

Yes, I am pretty close to both. I just happen to pass this stand almost everyday, so I stopped. I am going to pay closer attention from now on. The next time I buy something like this, I will make sure it is local. I am about 30 miles from Middlefield - there are a lot of Amish in that area.

I had a grocery shop today...big grocery chain and as you walked in, they had a smaller separate produce display. It had a big sign saying these items are all from XXXXXX farm. I would feel good buying that.

I just need to pay closer attention.

r@inyDayZ3 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Spaz,
>
> Are you by chance close to actual farms? If you
> are in a rural area (as where I grew up in
> Lancaster, PA), we would always find little stands
> at the ends of the farmer's driveways.
>
> Couple of years ago when DH and I lived in PA, we
> saw them all of the time. Another thing - do you
> have many Amish farms around? Sometimes the Amish
> will also have stands that sell produce.
>
> I'd be a bit po'd too if I found a sticker like
> that!

I thought you had your own tomatoes Anyway I am all over local produce and buy it whenever I can, which is often. Sometimes the farmers markets will sell stuff that they are out of or is out of season that is imported.
So I say, as long as they are not claiming that everything they have is local, no prob. After all, they are not Kroger or Safeway, just people trying to make a little $. Support the farmers!!

If you are buying tomatoes for salsa or to make pasta sauce, rather than for slicing, be sure to ask if they have some "seconds" behind the counter. these may have a bruise or a hole, but sell for half price or less. Trim away the problem area and the 95% wll be good as can be for a sauce.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

I have been on a salad kick, so I was at a point where I had nothing but green tomoatoes left. I also gave some of mine to my sister, who does not have a garden.

cynb Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I thought you had your own tomatoes Anyway I am
> all over local produce and buy it whenever I can,
> which is often. Sometimes the farmers markets
> will sell stuff that they are out of or is out of
> season that is imported.
> So I say, as long as they are not claiming that
> everything they have is local, no prob. After
> all, they are not Kroger or Safeway, just people
> trying to make a little $. Support the farmers!!

Seasonal tomato tip: buy them local and marinate in Italian dressing, garlic expressions or Olive oil and rice vinegar. Oh I meant specifically grape or cherry tomatoes. You can keep them in the fridge for quite a while and eat at will. So tasty.

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