Those “local” strawberries may actually be brought in on a truck from California, and, though you’ve been led to believe that it was made from scratch, that pie you just paid $15 for could in fact be pre-packaged.
Something is rotten at farmer’s markets around the country. Or maybe it’s just that some farmers are spoilsports finding it hard to compete in the more businesslike atmosphere of today’s friendly neighborhood farmer’s markets?
A WSJ story cites multiple incidences of farmers complaining about competitors who are merely resellers, who buy produce and other foods at auctions or from huge wholesalers, and then pass off the goods as if they were plucked from the seller’s backyard just hours before arriving at the farmer’s market.
The watermelon witch hunt is on.
As a safeguard, be nosy and ask a lot of questions before buying anything at a farmer’s market. If the seller is vague or elusive, move on. Also, you might want to look for dirt under their fingernails—the sign of a real farmer. Then again, that could also just be the sign of someone with poor hygiene.