Last month almost 200 of you came to the farm to make sauce, a lot of sauce, from over 2,000 lbs of tomatoes. We will do it again when we cook chili at this years farm chili fest. What these two event have in common is that we use reject produce. Tomatoes that are scarred, cracked, sun burnt or not pretty in some another way. So much of what farmers produce never makes it out of the field or is rejected as imperfect in some way in the giant packing houses. The organic kiwis we were buying last winter from Chico were all rejects because their shape was not what is defined as ‘kiwi’ shape. As we started harvesting the squash Jose and I inspected the fruit. There are some with scars which this year we will leave in the field. We have had several comments from customers that our produce on occasions is not as beautiful as what is available in some stores.
If we were to sell wholesale to store we would need to use a good deal of organic pesticides to keep the bugs away. So far this year I have not use our sprayer.
My feelings on this is that what we really want is wholesome, nutritious food and we as a society need to reexamine our desires for the perfect looking produce. I am not saying that cracked fruit, oozing juice and going bad is what I am talking about at all.
At the chili party we can have a fireside discussion about this. Please keep your comments and questions coming. This is a very important part of being a member of the Eatwell Farm… Nigel