Omaha Farmers Market

The Omaha Farmers Market: where we spend nearly every saturday morning. (It's also a good--distant--shot of Judy at her near peak.) We started going to farmer's markets in Cincinnati at Findley Market--which, in fact, is not a true farmer's market because most of the stands are companies, not direct farmer to customer sales. But through Oak Park's really good market and Omaha's fabulous market (the farms are closer, and there are a lot more of them) we've learned to appreciate really good food. I'm carrying eggs, salad greens, fresh dill, cilantro, bread, corn, onions, zucchini, canteloupe, some beeswax lotion and a peach pie. I may or may not have had a cinnamon roll from the greek guy.

At Omaha's market, there are two certified organic farmers, and nearly all the others are pesticide free. The eggs are from free range chickens, the beef is from grass-fed cows, and should we ever buy pork (never, Jehovah, NEVER), the pigs are raised humanly, too.

Besides the benefits from eating food not doused in chemicals, there are economic and ethical benefits from the farmers' market. On a purely selfish stance, if you come later in the day, you can take advantage of farmers dumping off their very ripe stock. I've also brought home nice bouquets of flowers that were better sold at a discount than trucked home to the compost bin.

From a wider sociological view, its great to reward any farmer who won't bow down to the jackbooted tactics of Monsanto and other big ag companies. If I can put money in the hands of a local farmer trying to grow food in a rational, sensible, environmentally sound way, I'm emptying my pockets. The money stays in the region, and its just good for the soul to deal with people as individuals instead of the bitterly disillusioned checkout kids at Baker's.

For more information about Monsanto and just what bastards industrial agricultural seed companies can be, see Jeffery Smith's _Seeds of Deception_ and the potato section of Michael Pollan's _The Botany of Desire_.