Is locally grown food safe to eat?

That is the question Ksdk.com asked this morning.  And their answer was yes it is.

Their main point was that it is important to know where your food came from.  If you buy a cantaloupe from the store you have no idea where it came from or where it's been.  Not only does it go through the farmers hands but also the warehouse workers, the truck drivers, and the store employees.  When you buy from a local farmer,  like the Old Six Mile Produce Stand, you know it has only been touched a small amount of times.  As with our tomatoes.  They get pulled directly from the plant and put up for sale.  No hot warehouse, no not truck.  That is not only good for the food but also the environment.  Our tomatoes leave less of a carbon footprint than the ones that come from Mexico.

And by buying locally from smaller farms, if you do get sick, it is easier to find out why and contain the problem food.  When the Listeria outbreak happened last week, there were people sick all over the country and it took them awhile to find the problem.  Because our produce isn't shipped anywhere a smaller population runs the risk of getting sick and the problem can be tackled faster.

Any food can make you sick.  It does grow in the ground which can cause some issues.  But by knowing your farmer and buying straight from them it is easier to get the answers you need and the service you deserve.


P.S.  Vote!!!!