In defense of farmers markets

The problem I have with this snarky editorial in Sunday's Los Angeles Times, besides the insinuation that liberals and environmentalists hate poor people, is that the writer claims that farmers markets are more expensive than the grocery store. That hasn't been my experience, so I'm betting that the writer has never actually shopped at a farmers market. The editorial attacks my hero Michael Pollan and Alice Waters (who I don't know much about) for encouraging people to eat locally grown and raised foods, particularly those that are organic. She also goes after people who believe cheap, mass-produced furniture and clothing hurts the environment and fills up our landfills. Her point is that with times being so tough, these people are snobby and unrealistic, that cheap products are good for families that can't afford to shop at farmers markets, where "organic tomatoes go for $4 a pound. "

It seems to me that she's always been against these people and is using the economy and the recent release of a book called "Cheap: The High Cost of Discount Culture,"to make her views newsy. OK, I concede that organic is expensive. But when I go to the farmers market, I can buy non-organic produce (that's still fresh and from family farms) cheaper than at the grocery store. Like a 50 cent cucumber and 25 cent red pepper. Last week I bought mixed salad greens for the same price I bought them at the grocery store today (I'd wanted to shop at the farmers market but I was being lazy and it closed before I could get there. Now there's a valid drawback to farmers markets ... limited hours.). I'm bringing this up because I think there is a perception that the farmers market is expensive. Some things are, but you don't have to buy organic peaches at the farmers market, just as you don't have to buy them at the grocery store. There is plenty of non-organic, reasonably priced produce. And it's also cheaper in that you're not tempted to buy all the crap they sell in the grocery store. Granted, you can't do all your shopping there. I still have to go to the grocery store to buy meat, milk, etc., but with less items to buy, I'm in and out quickly and don't get as distracted by the end-of-aisle crap that's cheap but has no health value. So yes, I will take Michael Pollan's advice and try to eat healthier, and leave the Häagen-Dazs to narrow-minded people like this writer.