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In the past, most of Kiyokawa’s time was spent on a tractor.

Now he spends about 20 hours a year on a tractor and more time coordinating the labor for the farm. The rest of his time is spent marketing, promoting and ensuring that his family’s produce gets to farmers’ markets - or have the markets come to the land his Japanese grandfather first farmed in 1911.

Last weekend, during the Pear Celebration hosted by the Hood River County Fruit Loop organization that promotes tours to farms during certain times of the year, Kiyokawa spent a lot of his time educating consumers.

Some simply wanted his suggestions on which were the best apples to eat, or where to pick them.

But consumers also asked more about what he grows, how he grows things, how his staff are treated, and what are his staff, his family and he doing to ensure food safety.

One couple - he was from Seattle, she was from Los Angeles - brought up the recent spinach E. coli problem and their concerns about the food they eat. They asked if Kiyokawa grew organic fruit and, if not, which neighbors do.

While his family grows 75 different varieties of apples and pears, Kiyokawa found himself explaining why the agricultural industry relies on different products to help with pest and disease control, how carefully they follow product use instructions and how they do take to heart food safety.

Kiyokawa pointed out his grandfather lived to be 100, his father is now in his 80s, and how the rest of his family are actively involved in the farm and care about the safety of what they grow.

Behind the scenes, his family and staff did more to help consumers have a complete experience. There were wagons, small toy tractors and a playground for kids; a hayride tour; and a sampling of baked desserts to entice people to buy fruit to bake for themselves.

Kiyokawa’s experience with consumers last weekend wasn’t unique. Suddenly farmers throughout the West and other parts of the country found themselves on the defensive, manning the information and promotion front lines.

When bovine spongiform encephalopathy struck Washington state a few years ago, consumers had also asked questions, but for the most part were satisfied with the answers from the cattle industry and government officials assuring them that their food supply was safe. The disease had been confined to one animal that had not entered the food chain. Subsequent cases of BSE also proved to be limited to one animal at a time and had not entered the food chain.

The spinach case was different. Not only did the contaminated spinach enter the food chain, but entered it extensively throughout the country. The spinach was consumed and people had become seriously ill, with one death reported.

This also came shortly after the media extensively covered the problem of E. coli during the last decade in mostly lettuce and spinach that has especially been tied to the Salinas Valley in California.

Consumers were disturbed for several reasons. First, spinach was supposed to be one of the healthiest foods recommended by doctors. Secondly, the enormity of the marketing chain was staggering: the number of states, brands affected and the number of people sick continued to grow, with a blanket warning by the FDA not to eat bagged spinach at all, no matter what the brand.

Thirdly, the illness was so quick and so dangerous and struck close to home for many, with even a Salem, Ore., woman as an example of a near-fatal case.

In Washington state, several farmers received calls from consumers with questions about their product: It didn’t matter if they were far from the possible source of the contaminated spinach fields, what production methods they used or even if they grew completely different vegetables or fruit.

In the consumers’ minds, suddenly all agriculture was cast under the same suspicious umbrella.

So how do farmers now deal with a shaken consumer base?

Farmers like Kiyokawa can continue to invite people to visit their farms, to share some time there and discuss face-to-face their questions and concerns. The Kiyokawa Family Orchards and Fruit Stand is open until Nov. 6, and updates customers on when fruit is ripe on the website www.mthoodfruit.com. The family also takes part in various events promoted by the Fruit Loop organization, including the Fiesta Days Celebration Oct. 21-22, and Heirloom Apple and Asian Pear Tasting Oct. 28-29.

Not every farm can be this open. There may be not enough labor to host a lot of visitors, or there may be serious concerns about people bringing in pests or diseases.

Pig and poultry barns are an example where rigorous regulations are in place. There are also concerns about agroterrorism and harm to animals, poultry or even crops.

Another way that farmers can help educate consumers and still promote and market their food is to create relationships with other businesses that may represent or deliver their products.

A good example of this is the Celilo Restaurant and Bar, an upscale restaurant in Hood River, in the Columbia Gorge. The restaurant describes itself as being "committed to a healthy and sustainable future" and emphasizes that its mantra is purchase local ingredients for its kitchen. "We source high quality, fresh food, grown miles from our doorstep. We make every attempt to buy naturally raised products and organic products when available," explains the company.

It adds, on its website www.celilorestaurant.com, "Supporting our local economy helps us in turn. We want our producers to use environmentally sound agriculture and sustainable farming practices. They produce great food that is healthy."

The restaurant, which very attentively caters to everyone from the trendy Gorge windsurfers to the well-dressed businessmen and wealthy tourists, has taken this one step further.

This fall, the restaurant is featuring a Farmer’s Dinner at the restaurant, on Sept. 21, Oct. 19 and Nov. 11.

Reservations are recommended, at $50 per person, and the experience includes a chance to meet the profiled farm families that talk about how they produce the food.

This week it was Zion Farms, focusing on growing organic greens. Next month Cattail Creek Lamb and Hood River Organic Mushrooms talk about raising natural lamb and cultivating organic mushrooms, explained the restaurant.

And in November, White Oak Farm and Bitterroot Farm talk about how they manage their operations.

These examples from the Hood River area demonstrate there are different methods to educate, promote and market what farm families do in the West. Whenever consumers get their confidence shaken about food safety, it’s true that companies and governments will stress the safety in America.

But it will be the frontline farmers that will face the toughest questions and biggest challenges to renew and nurture trust and loyalty in their customers, whether it’s by word of mouth in an orchard or in a fancily bound menu in a chic restaurant.