SANTA FE, NM (By Judy O'Meara, The Jon Garrido Network) January 22, 2011 ― One will find many types at this market; however, one needs to step back and think of a more selective shopper as the best answer ― one that embraces the experience! The Santa Fe Farmers’ Market caters to this type.

Quality, freshness, and variety are ultimate to these shoppers. They have a keen sense of taste and smell and a well-researched knowledge of the ripeness or quality when making their selection.

When preparing food they consider it a pleasurable experience, which often curtails a meticulous process. Quality is more important than cost because settling for less is out of the question. They are consciences people wanting to preserve a one-on-one relationship with the seller, as well as, maintaining an ecologically balanced environment.

Their choice would be to buy locally grown fresher produce because it is usually picked within a day or two of being sold. Produce when flown or trucked in from California, Florida, Chile or even further distances could be much older. According to the SF Farmers’ Market Institute, "Studies indicate the average distance food travels from farm to plate can be 1,500 miles. Taking into consideration the possibility of delays, the time elapsing could change the components. Sugars change to starches, the plant cells shrink and produce loses its vitality."

Allegra Burton is an accomplished Registered Dietitian (R. D.) and health educator who has extensive experience as a clinical and private practice dietitian and as a public speaker and writer. She substantiates the fresh theory, "locally grown produce is likely to be fresher and thus more nutritious and better tasting than foods shipped hundreds or thousands of miles. When it is flown or trucked in, nutrients will vary from one batch of produce to another, depending on climate, handling and other factors."

Hillary Baron, R. D. has years of experience teaching clients how to fit proper eating into a frantic lifestyle. In addition to her private client practice, Hillary has served as the in-house nutritionist at the Reebok Sports Club/NY. She is a regular contributor to several popular magazines and web sites and she lectures on healthy eating behaviors throughout the Tri-State area. Baron supports the general consensus, "Fresh produce when flown or trucked in from farther away, could take weeks or months, will result in a loss of nutrients. Incorrect handling could compound these losses. For example, the temperature might not be cool enough or the fruits and vegetables could become bruised."

Somewhat contrary to what she says about fresh produce, she suggests, "Frozen and canned fruits and vegetables can be nutritionally reasonable alternatives to fresh produce. In fact, they often contain as much and sometimes more of certain nutrients." This premise is based on freezing or canning occurring immediately after harvesting, which is when she thinks the "nutrients are the greatest and the nutrients are preserved until the package is open."

Opinions vary greatly amongst nutritionists. Allegra Burton indicates canning may not preserve nutrients because, "The heating process destroys between one-third and one-half of vitamins A, E, thiamin and riboflavin. Once canned, losses of between 5 percent and 20 percent of these vitamins may occur in one year."

While a recent study done by the National Food Processors Association for the U.S. Department of Agriculture indicated, "Virtually no difference in the nutritional values of fresh, frozen and canned foods when they are prepared for the table. In fact, the comparison of fresh, frozen and canned carrots showed canned carrots contained more of certain nutrients than the frozen or even the fresh carrots."

No matter what the opinion is on nutrients, the key word is conscience when comparing the Santa Fe Farmers’ Market shopper. They will attempt to make an informed decision in order to provide a fresher, healthier more nutritional diet for themselves and their families. The preparation and presentation of attractive quality food is vital while looking upon it as a fun-filled enjoyable and rewarding adventure. One cannot resist getting caught up in the adventure with all the abundance available at the Santa Fe Farmers’ Market! Much of this can only be attributed to local farming and genetic diversity.

In the modern industrial agricultural system, varieties are chosen for their ability to ripen simultaneously and withstand harvesting equipment; for a tough skin that can survive packing and shipping; and for an ability to have a long shelf life in the store. Only a handful of hybrid varieties of each fruit and vegetable meet those rigorous demands, so there is little genetic diversity in the plants grown. This brings to mind, those awful tough skinned tomatoes and cucumbers we have to settle for when shopping at larger supermarkets.

Local farms, in contrast, grow a huge number of varieties to provide a long season of harvest, an array of eye-catching colors, and the best flavors. The many varieties are heirlooms, passed down from generation to generation, because they taste good. These old varieties contain genetic material from hundreds or even thousands of years of human selection; they may someday provide the genes needed to create varieties that will thrive in a changing climate including components for making insulin from the wheat plant. When considering the possibility of a blight or disease wiping out an entire plant species, genetic diversity may be the answer to future food supply. Bear in mind, nature is an extremely complex inter-related chain consisting of many species linked in the food chain. The effect of genetic diversity is yet unknown.

Placing this in the hands of the local-generation farmer could create an environment for exchange of credible information with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). For those interested, the data could be available through their web site. Just as this information is regarding the energy cost of farming "diesel fuel accounted for about 43%, electricity accounted for about 33%. Gas and natural gas accounted for about 7% and 4%, respectively. In the production in agriculture it accounted for 1%. Nitrogen and pesticide use — two major indirect agricultural uses — is about 56% and 67%, respectively. It would be difficult to estimate the percentage of the 43% diesel? Distances traveled would have a significant effect on energy cost considering many semi-trucks and freight trains use it for transport.

By buying at he Santa Fe Farmers’ Market the shoppers are helping to decrease the consumption of petroleum a non-renewal source of energy while maintaining a clean environment and benefits for the wildlife.

This may be accomplished better by preserving the family farming industry. A well-managed family farm is a place where the resources of fertile soil and clean water are valued. Good stewards of the land grow cover crops to prevent erosion and replace nutrients used by their crops. According to the Santa Fe Farmers’ Market Institute, "Cover crops also capture carbon emissions and help combat global warming. According to some estimates, farmers who practice conservation tillage could sequester 12-14% of the carbon emitted by vehicles and industry. In addition, the habitat of a farm — the patchwork of fields, meadows, woods, ponds and buildings — is the perfect environment for many beloved species of wildlife, including bluebirds, killdeer, herons, bats, and rabbits."

What better way to preserve this thriving wildlife habitat, but to shop at the Santa Fe Farmers’ Market because the SF Farmers’ Market Institute maintains strict control over their Northern New Mexico vendor selection. By doing so it is indirectly striving to maintain the regional land and its water base.

According to the USDA "fewer than 565,000 family farms in the USA now claiming farming as their primary occupation, farmers are a vanishing breed. And no wonder-commodity prices are at historic lows, often below the cost of production. The farmer now gets less than 10 cents of the retail food dollar."

Local farmers who sell direct to consumers cut out the middleman and get full retail price for their food — which means farm families can afford to stay on the farm, doing the work they love.

When one buys direct from the farmer, it is re-establishing a time-honored connection between the eater and the grower. Knowing the farmers gives one insight into the seasons, the weather, and the miracle of raising food. The SF Farmers’ Market shopper thrives on the type of relationships because it builds understanding and trust.

Local farming provides access to a farm where children and grandchildren can go to learn about nature and agriculture. As the value of direct-marketed fruits and vegetables increases, selling farmland for development becomes less likely. Many enjoy driving out into the country to appreciate the lush fields of crops, the meadows full of wildflowers, and the picturesque red barns. That landscape will survive only as long as farms are financially viable.

According to the SF Farmers’ Market Institute, "Farms contribute more in taxes than they require in services, whereas suburban development costs more than it generates in taxes. On average, for every $1 in revenue raised by residential development, governments must spend $1.17 on services, thus requiring higher taxes of all taxpayers. For each dollar of revenue raised by farm, forest, or open space, governments spend 0.34 cents on services."

The theory of lesser demand for services may be debatable. In any case, the SF Farmers’ Market shoppers are compelled to do something proactive about preserving the agricultural landscape. For them shopping at this market is ensuring farms in their community tomorrow while future generations will have access to nourishing, flavorful, and abundant food.