Yesterday I was confronted with a question facing many shoppers today: should I buy the organic granny smith apple or should I buy the locally grown apple?

Only to be honest the organic apple (Washington State) was “more local” than the conventional apple (Chile), and they both cost the same. The only thing that created an illusion of dilemma was that the Chilean apple was shiny, picture perfect and *looked healthier* while the organic apple that was slightly bruised and contained random shades of rose. Both apples came from places I’ve never visited. Neither was a good option. And my stomach was demanding food. Now.

I reasoned that I’d be mostly paying for the plane ticket and chemically-enhanced body image of Chilean apple, while the Wash State apple was priced as such due to its quality; value; organic-ness. And as I brushed aside the thought “don’t they grow conventional apples some place closer than Chile?” I grabbed the organic apple and happily placed it in my cart, thinking that maybe I just got a good deal (organic for the price of conventional—at least for certain foods organic is the way to go, right?)

I was wrong. The apple was sub par.

Later as I consulted the inflated prices on my receipt I realized I had just paid $1.55 for a disappointing (albeit organic) apple. And, even if I bought the other apple I would have still paid the same. The conclusion was clear: the wise choice is to buy a $0.75 (possibly organic) apple from the farmer’s market passed on the way to health foods store.

Apparently I am not alone in that conclusion. Recently CNNMoney.com discussed a food trends survey that revealed that many “organic shoppers” are abandoning the costly habit in the face of rising food prices. But they are not turning back to grocery stores (or conventional Chilean apples)—they are, instead, b-lining for the cost-value benefits of locally-grown foods at farmer’s markets.

The clear moral of the story is that if one wants to save one’s sanity and/or wallet it’s time to start observing which fruits and veggies are in season locally, and time to start making friends with one’s local bearded apple/carrot/flower/vegetable grower.

Their produce tastes better anyway.

Resources:

IN SEASON NEAR YOU (and written by us)

http://www.nrdc.org/health/foodmiles

FIND A FARMER

http://www.localharvest.org/csa/

EAT YOUR LAWN (a tale of sorts)

http://www.chow.com/stories/10995

WIKIHOW: Save Money at Farmer's Markets

http://www.wikihow.com/Save-Money-at-a-Farmers%27-Market