I have been somewhat dismayed at the reporting of the current E. coli outbreak traced to bagged spinach. It is extremely disturbing to hear that the company believed to be at the source of the outbreak supplies spinach to numerous brand names (source: http://www.ebfarm.com/press/foodsafe/) that are available nationwide. For Central New Yorkers, this is a prime opportunity to discuss the benefits of buying locally-grown produce in our area, which has a rich agricultural bounty.

Bagged salads and the like have a high convenience factor, but the origins of the produce are questionable and do we really want spinach from California that has been trucked across the country, especially if it’s safety can’t be guaranteed?

It just seems to me that the reports about this story are missing the important angle of discussing our local options: produce that has been harvested right before purchase and buying it directly from the farmer, who has a strong sense of personal responsibility in providing a safe and healthy product. There are so many worthwhile vendors in this area that it seems silly for people to have to rely on bags coming from California or to think that this is the ONLY option.