Processed Produce

Photo of fresh picked berries by Greg Bilowz

With the tumultuous rollercoaster economy and the recent E. coli recall of Freshway Foods Romaine lettuce, growing your own produce is common sense. (Note - Massachusetts is one of the 23 states involved in this recall. http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/food-poisoning/news/20100506/romaine-lettuce-recall-due-to-e-coli ) For most folks, knowing where your food comes from is the number one factor people go direct to the farmer or produce it themselves. If you don’t have the space or the time but want to know where your produce is coming from, you can always look into Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). http://www.nofamass.org/programs/csa/csa.php The simple concept is to buy your share of the crops from a particular farm. Each CSA can be set up differently so find one that suits your needs. These programs are expanding exponentially every year due to the popularity of locally produced food. It’s a win-win situation and a great way to support the local agricultural industry.

The above message may get repetitive but sometimes repeating a message is the only way it penetrates the old noggin. Besides, everyone is already telling you what great gifts to buy for Mother’s Day. You can always check our fan page a little later this weekend for any last-minute ideas. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bilowz-Associates-Inc-Our-Blog-Annies-Gardening-Corner/325316334444

So as another Friday approaches us, let’s end this week’s blog posts with a common sense yet inspirational thought by Jim Davis. He hits the core about why growing your own produce is important. “Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie.” There is always room for sweet things in life. Have a great weekend, celebrate Mother’s Day, and keep gardening.