Farm-Fresh or Farmed Out?

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To authenticate that a grower is indeed a grower—not a distributor or retailer of something grown elsewhere—many markets like that in Kansas City mandate biannual staff visits to farms. Some states, such as California and Texas, certify the growers and the growers-only farmer's markets, further authenticating the farmer-as-vendor on your behalf.

LOOK at what's being offered

Judith Winfrey of Georgia Organics, a 30-year-old nonprofit that promotes organic agriculture, says there's another way to spot local vendors in the hubbub: "Know what's in season." Not sure? She says that Georgia Organics offers a seasonality chart for consumers, as do many farmer's markets and their associations or cooperative extension offices.

Farmer's markets may sport uniform signage that clearly identifies your choices: Organic, Kansas-Grown, even Pesticide-Free. Some require that certifications be displayed in a frame or notebook. Others separate the vendors into sections. Smaller, more informal markets may leave it up to the vendor to inform you.

LISTEN to the vendors

Don't be shy. "It's all about talking to producers," Klemperer asserts. "Say, 'Hey, how do you grow this? Do you use organic methods?' The main thing we do at Slow Food to get people curious about where their food comes from is to start conversations with producers and purveyors." (For more questions to ask farmers, see "Talk to the Farmers.")

Winfrey agrees. "That's better than any certification, in my opinion."

For a behind-the-scenes view, Slow Food chapters—there are 170 nationwide—frequently organize visits to farms, bakeries, cheesemakers and the like. Klemperer adds, "When you visit a farm, then go to the market and see that person next week, there's no question about where your food comes from."

If small talk makes you uncomfortable, remember: The farmers, in turn, learn who their customers are. You're likely to develop a delicious relationship—maybe even long-term.

Resources

Buy Fresh, Buy Local (www.foodroutes.org)
Connects people to local foods, promotes healthy eating through local chapters.

Local Harvest (www.localharvest.org/store)
National directory of growers, producers and artisans. Online catalog for mail order.

Slow Food USA (www.slowfoodusa.org)
Nonprofit facilitating a shift away from a commercialized food supply and promoting artisanal foods.

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