Open Letter to People Who Pull Over and Pick Produce without Paying

Dear Person Who Steals Produce from Our Farmers,

Tonight while I was updating things on my social media I discovered a heart felt post from a Hudson Valley Farmer who had posted his frustration in a private group. I would shared his heart felt note but I can't due to privacy rules but what I can do is restate what he had to say in my own words.

The basics of the statement was about how he was sadden by the fact that people will just pull over on the side of the rode next to the farm and help themselves to crops growing in the fields with no thought to the fact that those apples are how the farm makes money. Corn, pumpkins, apples and even sunflowers that are planted by a farmer all add up to help make their bottom line.

Maybe those of you who think it is ok to just grab a few apples on your way home don't realize what goes in to growing those apples and even pumpkins. Maybe your aren't aware of how many endless hours go into making sure they get from tree to table, from seed to front porch. The margin of profit for our farmers is slim at best. The hours fighting bugs, weather and other things that ruin a crop are endless.

Adding your thievery to the equation just cost that farm most likely more than he might have made if you bought them but at least he would have had something other than blatant disregard for his product and the well being of his farm.  The post tonight also included a mention that if you are in need of food they are happy to help out. They actually have produce they donate to people in need of fresh food. That's what farmers do, they take care of their community.

So let me say what you may not realize but definitely need to know, when you pull over to the side of the road and help yourself to a few apples or ears of corn you are stealing.  Would you get out of your car in a neighborhood and take something from someone's lawn? Or would you walk up to a local grocery store and just take an item they have outside without paying for it? The answer I hope is No!

Many farmers don't have fences nor do we want them to. The farms add to the beauty of our landscape and our community. Because of them we have local produce and our backroads are so much nicer when they don't have our farms hidden behind a fence. The blossoms in the spring and the fruit in the summer and fall all add to the scenery that we enjoy so much.

So please stop pulling over in your car and helping yourself to produce you don't pay for first. I couldn't finish this letter without including Paul Harvey's So God Made a Farmer - please give it a listen.

So to wrap this up the farmer tonight shared that he was sadden by the whole thing and you know what, I am sad too. I am sad that people would do this to our local farmers. It is not okay and if you do it please stop. If you know someone who does it please tell them to stop.

Sincerely,  Sadden by the Apple Thieves

What about if your are actually out picking apples and you eat one? The pick and eat tax is it real.