Strawberries Please, Hold the Pesticide!

Thinking of Growing My Own!

My family LOVES strawberries. This summer, we consumed flats and flats of organic strawberries. We eat them plain, in smoothies, or in desserts with whipped cream when we are feeling decadent. Organic strawberries aren't always easy to find, so at our Farmer's Market on Saturdays I always try to stock up. If we run out, fortunately our local Trader Joe's has them, but of course I prefer mine locally grown.

Naturally sweet!

They might be smaller, not the 'roided out strawberries that you might see in some grocery stores. But they are sweet and I don't have to worry about methyl bromide. I have been following news stories about this pesticide for the last year. The little of the area around where I live, and mostly south of here, is agriculturally intensive. I see workers in the fields wearing what look like space-man hazmat suits to deal with strawberries. I am glad to see their employers are taking precautions for their employees but wonder what happens to the methyl bromide in the air around the fields and in our neighborhoods. This chemical has been known to cause reproductive harm, and was supposed to be phased out but it is still heavily in use. Apparently, strawberry growers can apply for an exemption if there is no alternative. I will see some well meaning strawberry vendors at my Farmers Market with signs that say "no pesticides". But I'm not messing around, I will only buy from the vendors that have the "certified organic" signage.

First of all, it makes me sick that there can be an exemption for something like this! But of course, it's business, which we knows trumps everything in the modern world. Even health. I will just continue to do my part and boycott these berries, for the sake of my community. As this season comes to a close, I am considering growing my own strawberries for next summer. Hope that works out better than our vegetable garden this summer...

Have you heard of methyl bromide? If you read my blog, you probably lean a bit toward organic produce anyway. But even I "slip" from time to time for convenience, but I never will for strawberries. Will you?