Rick D Hot

Rick, I don't see mentioned much about local health food store in your articles. Just read your articles about Apple Pie Smoothie, and we make a very similar one at 'the local smoothie bar' with all organic, basic ingredients. We're also a great source of knowledge and local networking, with programs to help people move to a healthy lifestyle. We're also an important part of the local economy, and struggle to make it in competition with grocery chains who see the profit potential in organic food, and 'natural feelgood' chains that may not always be forthright about what they actually sell.

Thanks Rick, for giving Farmers this platform to connect with people that want and need our food. As a young kid I remember the saying "YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT" then it only makes sense to eat Healthy, Clean, Unadulterated, and Safe Food. This all starts with how we treat the Earth and our Environment that we depend on for LIFE. I was taught this as a child by my parents and grandparents, especially my mother and grandmother, now I have passed this on to my children and plan on sharing this with others.The safety of the food that my family and your family eat is of the most importance that is why I only sell what I raise from birth on our farm ensuring it is hormone free, antibiotic free and chemical free. Many farmers proclaim they raise what they sell but often sell other farmers products when they run short of their own, not me, I have very high standards of what I eat and sell to others.

Im the president of our local farmers market. Im sick to death of not being able to tell folks that most of the food grown and sold at the market is organic because no one is certified,cannot afford certification and cannot not meet the rediculous critera. So according to info gleaned from this sit I am going to recommend that local growers call their food "original food" if it is grown without pesticides and herbicides

Just realising as I get older just what's missing that I used to be able to get as a matter of course fruit is left hanging on trees. Fast food means that all the food we buy is driven by fewer retailers
pushing conformity. I love these farmers markets little shops in our English towns, that's all down to bees and the honey tastes great.