The Greening of the Pols

As we head toward summer, the area green markets are overflowing with sharp-flavored garlic scapes, soft sweet strawberries, crisp snap peas and . . . glad handling pols? Yes, the latest hot spots for campaigning politicians are the metro area farmers’ markets.

Candidate for New York State Attorney General Mark Green recently kicked-off his post convention petition drive at the Union Square Green Market in Manhattan. At the grand opening of the new Larchmont farmers market in Westchester, one-time NY State Lt. Governor candidate, county party boss and current Assemblyman George Latimer (pictured left in the blue shirt buying some strawberries) could be seen working the crowd of organic vegetable munchers. Along with George were several local pols each vying for attention with the heirloom lettuces and tender carrots just pulled from the earth.

As a recovering political junkie, The WesFoodie thinks this is a very positive development. Not for the farmers markets, but for the politicians. Let’s hope that for these pols hanging around bunches of radishes and green onions is just step one on a long journey into the pleasures of Sustainable Ag.

It won’t be long until Gov Pataki starts grinding up his own pot bellied pork sausages made with herbs from his own no-pesticide garden and berries he foraged in the Columbia County woods. Former County D.A. Jeannine Pirro may take to pulling on waist-high rubber boots to stomp into the coop to pull out her free-range chickens with all insect diets and cruelty-free eggs. Get ready for Hillary to start handing out heritage breed Narragansett turkeys for Thanksgiving.

(At left Assemblyman Latimer works the organic marketers)