Colorado State University Extension
SafeFood Rapid Response Network
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QUESTIONS YOU ASKED
FOOD SAFETY AND THE GARDEN
Is it safe to water gardens with non-potable water?
Vegetable crops can be watered with non-potable water, but you need to carefully wash them with tap or boiled water before eating raw. To be even safer, it is suggested that you not water leafy vegetables like lettuce with the non-potable water within 2 weeks of harvest, because these can be hard to clean well. For root vegetables, these too will need to be carefully washed with potable water before eating raw. Cooking will also take care of any issues with Giardia or Cryptosporidium, and may be your safest bet overall.
Source:We have a family of foxes and a stray cat living in our community garden area. Should we be concerned?
You are right to be concerned, domestic or wild animals can be a source of contamination in the garden and this is especially a problem with produce, like tomatoes, that are often consumed raw. Where we see a garden patch, pets may see a litter box. So, limit access of animals - pets, livestock and wildlife - to the garden, especially during the growing season. This may be difficult to do if your community garden is not fenced so make all garden users aware of the situation and remind them that all produce needs to be thoroughly washed before being served. The CSU Extension Fact Sheet 9.360, Preventing E. coli From Garden to Plate, http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/09369.html has more information about food safety and the garden.
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