Via Culinate, over at Grist's new Checkout Line blog, Lou Bendrick answers a question about how to talk to growers, and commenters debate the value of organic certification, among other things.
I think it's important to talk to growers about their methods, both because it gives them opportunity to talk about something they are proud of and for you to learn something about how your food is grown, and also because it lets them know there is an interest in and market for organics. However, I also feel reluctant to query people who don't openly advertise that they're "pesticide-free" or organic. My assumption is that if they're not volunteering that information they're using conventional methods, and let the buyer beware.
Although I do think it's important to have standards, I don't have a problem with growers who are not certified organic. Knowing a bit about the certification process, and having heard enough farmers complain about it, I can understand why it's not something everyone would want to pursue. My concern is more about the growing method, not the certification.
Whether you're a farmer or a consumer, what are your perspectives about asking for information? Do you have any experiences, positive or negative?
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