SECOND SLICE: WHERE WAS YOUR WATERMELON BORN?

Ever wonder where the food you’re eating comes from? I mean, where it really comes from … not just the country or the state, but the specific farm where it was grown and harvested? If so, you’re not alone. There’s a growing trend among just about everyone – not just people who like to “eat healthy” – to learn more about the origins of our food, and a relatively new technology called HarvestMark makes that pursuit of knowledge possible.

HarvestMark has been tracing produce for a few years now and basically involves placing a sticker or label on fruits and vegetables that consumers can scan using a smartphone application, which then takes them to a website where they can learn more about the food’s origins. In the absence of a smartphone, you can also manually enter the label’s code online.

Here’s how the HarvestMark website explains the tool:

When a farmer harvests his crop, or a packer selects product to send to her customers, they upload key data to HarvestMark. That information is linked to a unique HarvestMark Code on the label. When you trace the (label’s) code at HarvestMark.com, you instantly receive the traceability information on that product, like where it was grown and whether it’s subject to a recall.

You can also get more details (like pictures of the farm, or the story behind the farmer), give feedback about the product you purchased, and discover nutrition information, and even find recipes.

Not all watermelons display a HarvestMark label, but many do. I’m not really sure how many carry the label (I haven’t seen it yet in my area), but I’ll definitely be on the lookout for it and let you know if I find it.