’Twas the market before Thanksgiving

Thank goodness for the Thanksgiving-eve market
Farmers’ market goers (and last-minute shoppers) should be delighted to know that the last Wednesday farmers’ market of the year at North Valley Plaza will take place on Nov. 21.

“Come to our last day at the North Valley Plaza Wednesday Farmers’ Market—one day before Thanksgiving,” said Monique Bird, co-manager of the Chico Certified Farmers’ Market recently.

Bird pointed out many of the thumbs-up reasons to attend (besides all of the fresh produce offered by local farmers), such as the tart-sweet products from lemon-curd queens, the Two English Ladies; gluten-free pies from Oogolow Foods; Leon Bistro salad dressings; wonderful naan and Indian condiments from Guzzetti’s Catering & Indian Food; and yummy Spanish food from Leonardo’s.

Besides offering so many of the healthful fixin’s needed for a scrumptious dinner, the market is also, as Bird pointed out, “a great place to pick up last-minute gifts for your Thanksgiving-dinner hostess,” such as … “flowers!” Bird promises that a number of vendors will have bouquets of fresh flowers for sale on that Wednesday.

The market is located between Trader Joe’s and CVC Pharmacy, and runs from 7:30 a.m. until noon.

And, of course, don’t forget that the downtown Saturday farmers’ market at Second and Wall streets runs year-round from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Go to www.chicofarmersmarket.com for more info.

Stay away from Big Food’s food
Now that Prop. 37—which would have required that food containing genetically engineered ingredients be labeled, as they are in so many countries around the world—has been defeated, grocery shoppers will have no way of knowing exactly what sort of mutant organism is lurking in their box of cereal or bag of chips, unless the label says “organic” or “GMO-free,” as most groceries at natural-foods stores are labeled. (Note that mainstream-supermarket groceries containing corn or soy are more likely than not to be made with genetically modified versions of those ingredients).

The Food Poisoning Bulletin provided a nice little wrap-up about the defeat of Prop. 37. “The final vote was 53 to 47 percent,” said writer Kathy Will. “A few months ago, polls showed the measure was favored by more than two-to-one. But a huge campaign by opponents of the measure, mostly pesticide and processed food manufacturers, chipped away at that lead over time.” The No on 37 campaign spent more than $45.6 million, Will pointed out, compared to the Yes on 37 campaign’s $8.9 million.

“In the face of unrelenting deceptive advertising funded by giant chemical and processed food corporations to the tune of nearly $50 million, California’s Proposition 37 calling for a simple label on genetically engineered food narrowly lost with 47 percent of the vote,” Will quoted Food & Water Watch spokeswoman Kristin Lynch as saying. “While support for GE food labels has never been stronger, the incessant drumbeat of misleading and outright false industry advertising was barely able to defeat this popular measure.

“Prop. 37 may not have passed,” said Lynch, “but it brought together and galvanized people from across California, the country and the world who believe deeply that people have a right to know whether their food has been genetically engineered, and this momentum will only grow.”

“Don’t eat anything your great-grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food.”

– Michael Pollan