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July/August 2003
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Special Feature

Illustration: Colorado Department of Agriculture
Farmers' Markets—the Fun Way to Eat Right


According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the number of farmers' markets in America has grown dramatically in recent years, increasing 79 percent from 1994 to 2002. The 2002 National Farmers' Market Directory recorded more than 3,100 U.S. farmers' markets.

Here in Colorado, there are 72 established farmers' markets and more than 35 food and agricultural festivals. Not only is Aug. 3-9 National Farmers' Market Week, but August is Colorado Proud Month as part of a statewide marketing program developed by the Department of Agriculture to help consumers, restaurants and retailers identify and purchase Colorado food and agricultural products. Consumers can visit the program's website, www.coloradoproud.org, for recipes, a directory of restaurants that serve Colorado products and a searchable database of Colorado items.

Combining Colorado Proud with a desire to eat right and be outside during Colorado's glorious summer days, EnCompass is offering this cornucopia of tidbits and information about a beloved institution — the farmers' market.
-Jeff Miller, editor

Further Information

Colorado's Department of Agriculture's Farm Fresh Directory:
303-239-4114, www.coloradoagriculture.com.
Colorado State University
Cooperative Extension: 970-491-6281; www.ext.colostate.edu.
U.S. Department of Agriculture hotline and Farmers' Market website: 800-384-8704; www.ams.usda.gov/farmersmarkets.
Organic food: USDA, National Organic Program, 202-720-3252; www.ams.usda.gov/nop.

Finding farmers' markets, food and agricultural festivals in your area

With 72 established farmers' markets and more than 35 food and agricultural festivals held within the state, it would take up too much space for EnCompass to list them all here. For that information try the 19th edition of the 2003 Colorado Farm Fresh Directory, published by the Colorado Department of Agriculture. The free booklet lists more than 150 farms, 72 farmers' markets and numerous county fairs and agricultural festivals, as well as safe food facts and a crop calendar.

The directory can be found at www.colorado agriculture.com and at more than 70 statewide locations (many local libraries, chambers of commerce, Colorado welcome centers and farmers' markets). For more information call the Colorado Department of Agriculture (303-239-4114).

All you ever wanted to know about produce — and more!

You're at your local farmers' market and everything looks colorful and appetizing. Is it really true that fruits and vegetables are good for you? What is the nutritional content of what you're seeing? How many fruits and veggies should you eat per day? Scientifically, it's known that fruits and vegetables are:
  • low in fat and sodium
  • high in vitamins, nutrients, minerals and fiber
  • a great way to reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease, stroke and other illnesses Convincing evidence proves that fruit and vegetable consumption plays a positive role in the reduced incidence of cataracts, diverticulosis, high blood pressure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, bronchitis and osteoporosis.

    It is also known that five or more servings of fruits and vegetables daily will reduce health risks substantially. In fact, more than one-third of the 500,000 cancer deaths occurring annually could be prevented by eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables. You should also eat at least one high-fiber selection a day, one dark green vegetable a day, any of the cruciferous (cabbage family) vegetables several times a week, and any of the most colorful fruits and vegetables as often as possible.

    How is the average American doing when it comes to eating fruits and vegetables? According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the average adult American eats 4.4 servings of fruits and vegetables a day, which is an increase from 3.9 servings a day when the five-servings-a-day program began in 1991. Children eat 3.4 servings a day, which is an increase from 3.1 servings a day in 1991. It is estimated that this half-serving increase can reduce the incidence of cancer nationwide by 7 percent.

    What constitutes one serving?
    It's smaller than you might think:
  • one medium-size piece of fruit
  • 3/4 cup (6 oz.) of 100 percent fruit or vegetable juice
  • 1/2 cup of cooked or canned vegetables or fruit
  • 1 cup of raw, leafy vegetables
  • 1/2 cup of cooked dry peas or beans
  • 1/4 cup of dried fruit

    —the Produce Marketing Association and the Produce for Better Health Foundation website, www.aboutproduce.com

    An abundance of Colorado-grown produce— and how to pick it

    We all have our favorites: Sakata Farms sweet corn, Rocky Ford melons, Western Slope peaches, Pueblo peppers. The list is surprisingly long when it comes to Colorado-produced fruits and vegetables. The peak time for most locally grown produce is late July and early August.

    With such an abundance of choices, however, comes a difficult task: how do you pick the freshest, ripest fruits and vegetables? Here are a few pointers:
    • Peaches—look for a soft, creamy-to-gold undercolor. If eating right away, select those that have begun to soften and smell "peachy." Don't squeeze peaches when checking for firmness because they bruise easily and rapidly decay. Don't purchase green or shriveled peaches-they won't ripen properly.
    • Pears—they are ripe when they yield to gentle thumb pressure at the neck.
    • Honeydew and cantaloupe—they're ripe when the ends of the melon yield slightly to pressure and they have a distinctly sweet fragrance. Ripe cantaloupe is uniformly flesh-colored on the outside, with little or no green. Honeydew has a velvety feel and a yellowish white to creamy rind. If the stem is still attached, the melon was picked before it was ripe (this is true for peaches, oranges and nectarines, too).

      For safety's sake, wash all produce with cool water before eating. Some produce, such as apples and cherries, can be washed before storing in the refrigerator. Others, such as leafy greens, maintain their crispness best if washed just before serving.

      —excerpted from an article by Pat Kendall, Ph.D., R.D., food science and human nutrition specialist at Colorado State University Cooperative Extension

      What is organic food?

      On Oct. 21, 2002, the U.S. Department of Agriculture began implementing national standards of production and handling for food labeled "organic," whether grown in the United States or imported from other countries. The USDA makes no claims that organically produced food is safer or more nutritious than conventionally produced food-only that organic food is grown, handled and processed differently than conventionally produced food.

      Criteria for organic food
      Organic food is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations. An overview of the criteria:
      • Organic meat, poultry, eggs and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones.
      • Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation.
      • Before a product can be labeled "organic," a government-approved certifier inspects the farm where the goods are grown to make sure the farmer is following all the rules necessary to meet USDA organic standards.
      • Companies that handle or process organic food before it gets to your local supermarket or restaurant must be certified, too.

      How can you identify organic food?
      The USDA has developed strict labeling rules and an organic seal that tells consumers that a product is at least 95 percent organic. The use of the seal is voluntary.
      • Single-ingredient foods-the word "organic" and the seal may appear on such items as vegetables, fruits, packages of meat, cartons of milk, eggs or cheese.
      • Foods with more than one ingredient-the USDA has developed four labeling categories: 100 percent organic; 95-100 percent; at least 70 percent; less than 70 percent.

      Organic and other terms
      The term "organic" is not interchangeable with "natural," and should not be confused with other terms such as "free-range" and "hormone-free"; only food labeled "organic" has been certified by the USDA.
      —USDA National Organic Program

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