Which is better. USDA organic from a store or farmers market?

Question

I worry when I'm buying usda organics from stores about large scale factory farming but at Farmers markets I worry about pesticides since none are certified organic. Which is better?

Answer 1

Buying from a farmers market you can develop a relationship with the growers and find out exactly how they grow (just ask us, we will talk your ears off about our farms and how we grow). Granted, about 30% of the farmers at most farmers markets are Organic (either certified or used to be certified and still grow organically) but even the conventional growers tend to use far less in the way of chemicals than the big industrial farms and most do not grow GMO's (though Bt corn is found at many farmers markets) and the food is a lot fresher as most id harvested within 24 hours of the market. You also find rare varieties of food rarely, if ever found at a grocery store.



Plus you are directly supporting the farmers instead of supporting several middlemen and a grocery chain and that money you spend with the farmers stays in your local community where it does good. Almost all the money you spend at a chain grocery goes out of the community



I vote for farmers markets as a better source for food.

Answer 2

Buying from a farmers market is no guarantee it is organic either.

those guys can say anything..sometimes its not even local.

never knew that till I saw strawberry stands in my city long before the local crops were ready and I asked where they were getting strawberries so early.

Turns out they got them shipped in form God knows where and were selling them...Looked local, the "farm" name was a local one too.

Answer 3

I worry that the peanut butter and Choc cookies will all be eaten by the cookie monster! That is a real worry :( Your worries are trivial!

Answer 4

If you are concerned with animal treatment... they are equal. All animals raised for food are mistreated (of course, it depends on YOUR definition of mistreatment). Organic foods have NOTHING to do with the treatment of the animal.