Concern over store bought greens

[MimzMum]

Okay, the FunBunWord thread just reminded me of something…

U.S. Binky Bunners…are you at all concerned about purchasing store bought greens for your buns lately with the e-coli scare going around? I see they have moved the possibility of contamination from tomatoes to jalapenos and cilantro…since my store places the parsley right next to the cilantro (which my buns won’t eat anyway, thank goodness) I wonder if I should be more wary of feeding them their parsley while this problem is current?

 

What say you?

[Veronica Vigilant]

I have to say I kinda jumped when I first read about the possible concern over cilantro… which is one of the staples I feed… it (the news on cilantro and e. coli) seems so vague at the moment though that I couldn’t decide whether to be worried over it or not. Although when I went shopping today for bunny greens I think I subconciously passed over the cilantro (I had forgotten about it until I read your post). Soo… I don’t know! I’m curious to see what other people think…

[Binkles]

Hmm…I kind of need to know about this too. I JUST bought some parsley (which is also kept next to the cilantro) not ten minutes ago to feed to both of my bunnies for the first time.

I certainly don’t want it to have eColi. Where did you read this at? Is this from a credible news source? Or could it maybe just be some overly-paranoid extreamist report?

[Scarlet_Rose]

Hmm, I hadn’t quite seen this yet either. I have a good solution though, grow your own in a pot. The usual suspect for e. coli contamination is steer/cattle manure as it gets into the waterways or leaches into a well and that water is used on the crops (tomatoes, parsely and so on). It is also not easy to wash off and so it really is best to avoid that type of vegetable until the batch has been pulled from shelves.

[Deleted User]

Scarlet, your post reminded me of a question I wanted to ask!

Boston loves Basil and its expensive!!! I’ve seen those things on TV-grow your own herbs….anyone try this? I’m seriously considering getting it, I know it would pay off in the long run…

[Gravehearted]

Mims – I try to only buy organic stuff honestly!

allen – i can never grow enough in those tiny planters to feed my bunnies. you might buy some bigger pots and put them on your patio

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

Here, there is only concern with tomatoes-SO FAR but yes, ok now I’m worried!!!

Allenj- I have a little planter on my balconey and I have no green thumb (i’ve killed CACTUSES!! SEVERAL…) and I’m growing marigolds, two types of oregano and parsley-they are doing awesome and I just sprinkled them with bun poop (best fertilizer). If I can do it anyone can!!

[Beka27]

i had not heard that about the cilantro. i don’t think i’ve fed it in awhile tho…

[Deleted User]

I live in an apartment–no balcony or patio….can herbs survive in doors?

[Veronica Vigilant]

So the cilantro thing that I heard (online news article- MSN I think) was that since they haven’t been able to confirm that the e. coli is from tomatoes, that they were beginning to look at cilantro and green peppers as well. They had NOT actually found e. coli in the cilantro and peppers, but since they couldn’t track the outbreak back to the tomatoes they were looking at other foods that the people with e. coli had also eaten (I think maybe some of the people got sick after eating salsa???). That’s what I remember reading, but I’m not sure how reliable it is… just wanted to clarify that the info I had seen wasn’t definate in case any one was confused!

[Scarlet_Rose]

I haven’t used those teeny containers, I grow them in a pot outside. If you try to grow them inside, I’ve had varying degrees of success with that in a windowsill. You may need a plant light.

[BeeElleEss]

I’m really concerned about it, but that’s most likely because I’m always concerned about the quality/freshness of the produce that both my bunny and I eat. However, I’m lucky enough to live in a farming community, so I buy all of my produce locally. There is such a difference in the produce that I buy at the farmer’s market/stand and the stuff that they sell at my local supermarket. I think that as long as you watch where you are buying your produce, that you will be just fine.

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

My parent’s have had success growing herbs indoors…you could give it a shot!

[MimzMum]

I would grow herbs (if I could manage anything other than spore mold), but I have cats who like to stuff anything green into their mouths. Even the bunny hay, which they’ll hop into the xpen to snatch. >_< Does parsley hurt cats, does anyone know?

I do buy organic parsley, but being in Alaska, EVERYTHING is imported, so… Anyway, yes, this was that national news article that’s been going around for a couple of weeks.

I don’t buy the cattle feces excuse…personally, with no offense meant to migrant workers who may not be educated in these matters, but I think that better bathroom facilities should be offered to these people who work so hard to pick food for us all-illegal aliens or otherwise-because it’s the human digestive tract that harbors the most resistant forms of e.coli. I suspect some of these folks are worked so hard they don’t have time/aren’t allowed to find a porti-potty in some cases, or they aren’t provided one if the farm manager isn’t regulated to do so. And I can’t imagine that herbivores could cause this kind of proliferation in a disease that is principally propagated by carnivores/omnivores.
Remember when it was just undercooked meat that caused these kind of situations? Now it’s spreading to our vegetable stock? Something doesn’t make sense there. But I digress and hopefully not in a way that’ll start an argument…just my two cents.

I should see about farmer’s markets here in Alaska for some veggies, but I don’t think anyone here grows local parsley. In the meantime, I’m keeping my fresh bunny greens to a crop of hayseed in the backyard that I know has no pesticides or other contaminants on it. I think as long as I keep the seed pods out of the stuff I feed the buns, there won’t be anymore runny noses and sneezing.

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

I think I agree!! It doesn’t make any sense, since all veggies, and especially mushrooms are grown in manure!!

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