QUESTION: I would like to know if you recommend using fruit and vegetable washes that are sold in supermarkets. If not, is there a more effective way to clean fruits and vegetables? Can pesticides really be washed away? I would also like to know which fruits and vegetables should not be washed, and which ones should always be washed. I enjoy your shows when you showcase farmers because this is my first year of planting over five acres of different vegetables, and I am trying to do it all without using any chemicals or pesticides.ANSWER: Great questions ... there are a lot of them, but they're all very good! First of all, I wish you all the luck in the world as you try your hand at farming. The biggest thing I've learned while filming and talking to farmers is that I don't think I could ever do what they do. Though I knew farming was extremely hard work, I still underestimated all that goes into it. And after the farmers have worked their tails off, things over which they have no control, such as a flood or drought, can wipe them out. My chef hat's off to all the farmers out there, but I'm going to stick to cooking the vegetables instead of growing them. And before they can be cooked, they must be cleaned.I am aware of the three or four commercial wash treatments that are available in stores, but I do not use them. I'm sure they are good products and I'm sure they have their supporters, but I believe a good scrub and a water wash will do the trick and there are studies that back that up. Either way, the point is that if you want to protect the people you are serving, you should wash your produce — it's just common sense.Although the fruits and vegetables that you bring home from the store may look clean, remember that somewhere between 4-20 people have handled them from the time they were harvested. I'm sure they are all very nice people, but that does not mean I want to eat out of their hands. And this doesn't even take into effect the invisible traces of pesticides that remain on the food. Even produce that is always peeled should be washed. For example: if you cut into an unwashed melon, your knife is pulling traces of whatever is on the rind onto the fruit. There have been cases of E.coli contamination that happened this way. It's not the norm, but who wants to take the chance?You can limit the amount of pesticide residue and bacteria by doing a few things. First, you will get rid of most of it by giving the fruit or vegetable a good wash or cold water immersion. Second, trim off the tops and outer portions — especially with leafy veggies. Third, though you may lose some fiber, you will also lose contamination by peeling the food item. Cooking produce also kills bacteria. Another point is to try to buy your produce in season, when long storage and shipping aren't required.Good luck with your farming — and thanks for bringing up a topic that affects everyone's health. You know the old saying, "A washed apple a day..." I've included a couple of recipes that you might be able to use with what you grow.

Filling1½ pounds purple plums, cut into ½-inch wedges1 cup blueberries (5 ounces)1 cup blackberries (5 ounces)1/3 to ½ cup packed light brown sugar (depending on sweetness of fruit)Topping1 cup rolled oats¼ cup all-purpose flour1/3 cup packed light brown sugar½ stick unsalted butter, cut into bits and softened¼ teaspoon saltPlace a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees.Combine all filling ingredients in a 2-quart shallow baking dish and bake 10 minutes.Meanwhile, using your fingertips, blend together all topping ingredients in a bowl until butter is evenly distributed and mixture is crumbly.Stir fruit filling, then sprinkle oat mixture over it and bake until topping is crisp and golden and fruit is bubbling, about 30 minutes.

3 medium beets, peeled and stems trimmed to 2 inches1½ tablespoons red-wine vinegar¼ teaspoon salt + salt to taste4 ounces goat cheese, sliced4 ounces baby arugula (4 cups packed)1 large Belgian endive, thickly sliced crosswise3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oilPepper to tasteUsing stems as a handle, slice beets paper-thin (wear protective gloves to avoid staining hands). Toss with vinegar and ¼ teaspoon salt in a bowl, then let stand 5 minutes to wilt.Divide beets among 4 large plates, overlapping slices slightly. Top with goat cheese.Toss arugula and endive with 1 tablespoon oil and salt and pepper to taste, then mound over goat cheese. Drizzle beets with remaining 2 tablespoons oil.