A couple of times a week I take Sam, our three year old, grocery shopping. The kid is all about picking out what the family will be eating while trying to convince me to buy him treats and snacking on the free samples. This weekend I’m going to take him to the farmers’ market with the hopes that North Carolina strawberries will be in (rumors are that the southern part of the state is starting to harvest).

Cheryl Mussatto of of Osage County Online has some decent tips for patrons of farmers’ markets including rinsing produce and keeping meats and eggs cold. These practices are good, but are not unique to markets.

What makes a farmers’ market special is the ability to connect with producers and engage in a dialogue about production practices. Unfortunately Mussatto only suggests conversing about beverages:

There is a key question you need to ask the vendor who is selling milk, juice or cider – “Is it pasteurized?” Pasteurization is a process of heating food to a specific temperature for a certain length of time in order to kill harmful bacteria.

Although it generates sneers from other visitors, I like to ask produce vendors about stuff like water testing and wash water monitoring. When I shop at the grocery store, the corporate folks ask these questions of their suppliers for me. At the market, it’s up to me.