Market Farming

["Elizabeth Pike" <pike AT always-online.com>]

My father is in a coma now--comfortable & very much at peace since the
legal matters are signed, sealed & delivered.

Sitting in a quiet hospital room at 3 AM can really clear up some
muddy thoughts!   Please bear with me-I know this is long.  Over the
past few days, I've been involved on other lists/forums in a
discussion on food poisoning, brought out by the 20/20 report.
Questions arose on food poisoning in general, and as we all sell food,
I thought this relevant to us all.

Dh & I own a fast food, chicken restaurant (the very reason I'm
organic & a market gardener, and eat out very little-we have opposing
views) I can tell you how these matters are dealt with here in
NC--varies slightly from state to state.

When a customer claims food poisoning, a positive diagnosis must be
confirmed by stool samples--other germs cause similar symptoms, and
there's much more involved  than just claiming restaurant food made
you sick. If the sample shows up positive, stringent detective work
ensues to find the culprit.  In 89% of the cases, it is due to
personal sanitary negligence-in the home.  If it is determined to come
from a restaurant, the restaurant is closed while health workers
dismantle EVERYTHING & EVERYONE to find out how & why.  Sometimes this
happens, and nothing is discovered.  When something is found, the
reasons vary as to why, but seldom is it the restaurant's fault.  It
is mostly an employee's lack of personal sanitation.  It has even
occurred as as deliberate sabotage to the restaurant owner, manager,
other employees, or the fact that the moon didn't rise, or stock
prices fell.  (Lessons for us market farmers/gardeners:wash hands
BEFORE (protect yourself)  & after (protect your customers) restroom
visits, & keep your eyes on your produce at all times-disgruntled
customers can do the same to us!!!!)

When someone claims food poisoning, it is most likely the ingredients
such as MSG that causes the distress.  The food today is so far
removed from it's natural state, including those fresh veggies on the
feeding troughs, whoops, salad bars.

I was horrified when our company  announced, a few years ago, that we
would no longer make our fresh chicken soup-formerly prepared from
scratch onsite (now from Campbells-ugh) due to time constraints.  We
also began receiving triple pasteurized milk to serve (what nutrients
can survive that??).  And eggs already boiled & peeled, and preserved,
and if we chose-shaped into a roll for easy slicing-stored in 5 gallon
buckets, and potatoes, too-no more peeling & cooking.  AND-veggies in
bags, already to go-guaranteed not to turn brown.

I puked.  Literally.  I walked out of this meeting of 2000 people who
sat so joyfully , obliviously applauding, and puked.  What business
did I have, serving this "robot" food to real humans who trusted me as
a business person.  I went directly to the hotel room and wrote our
resignation.  Unfortunately, due to dh, I had no control over this.
So I did the next best thing--I started selling the produce from our
organic family garden, and began educating anyone & everyone on
awareness of what goes into our bodies.  I worked extensively in the
schools, with the health dept dieticians to further this awareness in
the community.  But few wanted to know, & it has gotten worse
recently.  Ignorance is bliss, but it is easier with Pepcid or
Tagamet, and no one is questioning why.

For this list, whether you grow organically or conventionally, your
fresh produce, in it's natural state, is the very best contribution
you can make to this world.  The more people garden/farm, and sell to
others, the more we can change this "fast, robotic, manufactured, fake
food" society.   Just be judicious in your cleanliness & we'll all
stay in business for a very long time.


Liz Pike
Morningstar Gardens
Pollocksville, NC