If fruits and vegetables are not safe, what is?  

I hope the brain development does not mean that I am stupider or less intelligent. But I know that I get distracted a little bit, not as much as others. I figure if I were not as intelligent or did not have a high iq then it would have been worse. Much of our produce here comes either locally grown in the summer months, and in the other times from the States or from Chile. Our grocery stores do spray the fruits and vegetables but still it may not be enough. I do wash the vegetables, and some fruits, bot others they say not to wash them. So therein lies the problem.

They use DDT in China and we all know we get a lot of stuff from there.

thats because they dont wash out the boxes they send food it first they send poison stuff in the boxes or what ever and then dont wash out the containers to send the food in.

We get much of our Chinese vegetables from China, but I do not buy them because here they package them for families. For instance, they wiil put four bok choys in one bag. However when I used to live in Vancouver, there were a lot of Chinese market gardeners who grew the vegetables locally and there was also a lot of spraying. Back when I was young, there were no such things as organic unless one grew their own and the soil was quite damp and rotting was a problem.

I try to buy veggies that come form farms here in the USA.
and tehy have packages or singles layed out so ya can pick how much you want.
Growning your own was teh best way but to but if ya cant farmers market from the locals is best now!

The trouble is that there is a monopoly here so that the farmers have difficulty fighting against the supermarket chains. If we are lucky, we can drive out to the country but it would take at least an hour. The other thing is that the farmers sometimes bring their produce in and set up shop on one of the parking lots.

yup thats the ones I would go to the farmers that bring it into town

I will have to wait until we get a chance to drive out.

yup.
and I have to wait till the farmer market opens here!

I wish we had a farmer's market close here or within walking distance. Driving over ten miles to get to one seems rather pointless. We have to drive all the way through Winnipeg. Now when we lived in Saskatoon, there was a farmer's market down town that opened once a week and so one could go there during the summer and early fall, but here we have to go all the way out and mostly it is a house where one gets one type of fruit or vegetables, then one has to drive to another house to pick strawberries, one to get potatoes, one to get carrots, etc.

yup but sometimes it is worth it!

I wash everything except when they tell you not to, but it makes me upset when the very produce that are meant to make you healthy is spoiled by someone putting pesticides or spraying whole fields. Not everyone washes their fruits and vegetables and even then for those who do, much of it is just running it through the tap and not really scrubbing. And there have been suggestions as to peel the fruit, well in some cases the peels are the most healthy part.

Hello marguicha, Try putting finely crushed egg shell and used coffee grounds around your swiss chard. It is uncomfortably for the snails to crawl over.

Thanks for the idea!. I will not use pesticides in my garden so it´s the best thing I can do. I don´t mind them in the rest of the garden, but the veggies are mine to eat!

That is what I heard that washing is not enough. I remember a few years back when there was this product that was to remove the pesticide residue, but in my case, I have been eating vegetables and fruits since I was young and I am in my sixties now. So one can imagine the damage it has done along with the trans fats, and the high glucose corn syrup that was hidden in a lot of foods. And none of my family were sucressful garden growers except for a few peas and beans, lettuce and tomatoes. I did try a few others, but then I lived in Saskatoon, but when I move to Winnipeg, my husband after I tried a few years said no more garden. I suspect it was because I was starting to do some serious writing and he figured that if I am on the computer I have no time for gardening.

I do not think you have to worry if you have your own garden because from what I know most gardeners use natural repellents. It is for us people who are city dwellers and if they have a garden is just enough to grow a few peas, beans, and whatever. Much of our stuff we have to buy. I would love to go to a farmers market, but as it is our city is so large and spread out that by the time we go there and get back the food would not be as fresh. Most of the farmers around here come to the parking lots in the Malls and set up shop there.

I will have to look for this cleaner at Superstore. I would like to grow my own, but we do not have a garden and besides my husband does not want me to. I am able to sneak in a few herbs at the front among the rose gardens, but trying to hide some beans or peas and especially corn and carrots would be quite hard. I might try to hide some strawberry p[ants, but raspberries =not that easy.

Why wouldn't your husband want a garden full of fresh vegetables?

He has the silly idea that if I am too busy with the computer, too busy with writing, I do not have the time for a garden. He figures it is either one or the other. I guess I will have to wait until he dies, but the last time we were at the Center, he had a strong heart rate in spite of his lowering lung capacity. You know what they say "one foot in the grave but with an iron constitution." Oh well, maybe he will change his mind.

I hope so, because if you are able, growing your own food is the most rewarding hobby/job you can have. Some people don't have a big enough lot or none to grow a garden. I do have the space, but I have a sore arm and back and can't do too much without a roto tiller..I do have my own berry bushes and strawberry patch, small enough I do take care of by hand without hurting too much..

I do not have that much space. I was able to plant a few herbs among the rose bushes and the perennials in the front as well as a few strawberry plants. My friend and I went to the local garden shop and I saw some planters that can hang over the railings and a potted tomato plant, but we are waiting for the patio to be put in and then I can use it out there. It would not do well in the front and I do not have an overhang to put hanging plants on yet.

I have seen people living in the city who grow many plants in containers..I am sure if you research this, you can do it..I don't know much about it because I have a lot of space to garden..

I do have some herbs growing in the front of my house and I planted the strawberries among the rose bushes. We do have a nursery where we can get containers already planted . I was thinking of picking up a Roma Tomato plant container, but that may have to wait. I could have gotten one last week, but I was getting short of money. The trouble is I need a place outside to put it. I could use the side of the ramp, but my husband needs most of the space to turn around and I do not want the mailman to trip over the plants.

It is hard to get out to a farmers market here. And I love strawberries. I did grow my own, but my husband wants to put in a patio and put the garden in gravel so the only place I have would be at the front between the rose bushes and the other perennial flower bushes at the front. There is not that much there. I was thinking of getting a strawberry container, but having to haul it home is not that easy when one has no car and I am sure my husband would say no at putting it in the van that does not have that much space.
Guess I am stuck with buying organic = they are more expensive up here then the regular kind.

The trouble is what happens while one waits for someone to make sure that there are no pesticides and use natural repellents? Not all of us have gardens. I did have one for a few years and because I did not use any pesticides, much of the produce had holes in it in spite of me putting some natural repellents around. It seems to be a losing battle and also I do not know who are resistant to the effects of these pesticide.s

That lemon, salt, and cold water sounds like a good idea. I really do not trust using dishwasher detergent. Even then it would be all right if i were going to use the produce for supper that day, but what happens if someone invites us out or brings the dinner, then i have to threw the veggies away.

But what abut those like me who have eaten these products for years since I was a little bitty thing. Now I happen to love berries and I cannot see giving them up. I do wash apples under the sink, but is that. I do not know the effects on those of my age (60 plus) it could be a factor although if I have attention deficit disorder to some degree, then because I have a high iq I can compensate, but what about those who are not that brainy?
I guess now I will buy organic even though they cost more. It was usually the price that scared me off.