When we think of fresh-from-the-garden vegetables, the image we get is the picture of health. Barfblog reminds us that whether it is a 10 x 10 backyard garden or a 1,000 acre commercial enterprise, food safety is still important. Thanks to them for pointing us to the UC Davis Home Garden Food Safety publication list.

Some safety tips for your home garden:

• Prevention of contamination is much more effective than washing or cleaning up the produce after it is contaminated.
• Gray water use for edible plants should be carefully monitored, to make sure it is not a possible source of microbial contamination. Foliar (leaf) watering should be by municipal water, or other pathogen-free source.
• Properly composted animal manures or green manures (plant-based) are safe. If using fresh manure, mix it into the soil and maximize the time between application and planting.
• There is a food safety risk to allowing chickens in the garden during harvest season.
• Avoid keeping piles of composting plant matter or rotting vegetation close to the garden; they can harbor rats and mice which can be vectors of human disease pathogens.
• The recommended method for washing produce is with a brush under running water. They tested a range of commercial products and found they were generally not more effective than washing with water alone.

Happy growing and eating!