[justontime]

I would always go local if I had to choose between the two. The exception would be that I wouldn't compromise on welfare standards with eggs and meat, so if it was a choice of local intensively produced or free range that was not local I would choose free range. Where possible if I can't buy local I do without, but there are limits.

[reviewer]

I would probably go for local before organic except on things like thin-skinned fruits and the like. For things that can be scrubbed, local all the way to save fuel.

[ammulu]

Sometimes we get to find local stuff not that good enough even in the taste, somehow the organic stuff tastes more good than local. I checked out the milk which is so different when compared to the local.

[mom2manyboyz]

Ideally both. But if I have to choose organic. I can't save the planet if I'm dead.

[Serenity]

I'd love to say organic but it just isn't easy to come by locally. The cost can be prohibitive too sometimes even when I can get it.

We do have a small farm close by though where the farmer has an old fashioned roadside stand selling fresh fruit and veg. He even has an honor system where he just leaves out a bucket for you to pay him for what you take if he's not around.

I guess that's the closest I'm going to get until either organic becomes cheaper around here or is available more easily elsewhere and with enough of a selection that would make it worth the price of a car trip. It feels like gas prices are stalking my every move these days.

[mom2manyboyz]

Justontime:
I'm not sure where you live, but in the US the legal requirement to call something free-ranged is only 1 hour of pasture time per day, making the label virtually meaningless. They only way to truly know something is free-ranged is to know the practices of the farmer.

Originally Posted by justontime

I would always go local if I had to choose between the two. The exception would be that I wouldn't compromise on welfare standards with eggs and meat, so if it was a choice of local intensively produced or free range that was not local I would choose free range. Where possible if I can't buy local I do without, but there are limits.

[mom2manyboyz]

Scrubbing does a little to remove pesticides, but not much. They are actually in the produce. Peeling is the only method that reduces the pesticide level enough to be significant. I peel any conventionally grown produce I eat. I know the vitamin and mineral content is highest in the peel, but so is the pesticide level.

Originally Posted by reviewer

I would probably go for local before organic except on things like thin-skinned fruits and the like. For things that can be scrubbed, local all the way to save fuel.

[freeranger]

Originally Posted by mom2manyboyz

in the US the legal requirement to call something free-ranged is only 1 hour of pasture time per day, making the label virtually meaningless. They only way to truly know something is free-ranged is to know the practices of the farmer.

The same applies to 'organic'. The only term that means anything is 'certified organic' as long as the certyifying body is reputable.

[mbtaluka]

Originally Posted by reviewer

I would probably go for local before organic except on things like thin-skinned fruits and the like. For things that can be scrubbed, local all the way to save fuel.

We have the only option as local rather than finding anything organic. Few of the fruits seem to look organic but can't be sure whether it really is or not.

[mom2manyboyz]

Yes, I agree with that. You have to look for the organic logo or certification. The term organic itself it often used to misrepresent items as organic when they are not. As far as the certifying body being reputable, I have only heard of one case that a certifying agency was not and I haven't researched that well.

Originally Posted by freeranger

The same applies to 'organic'. The only term that means anything is 'certified organic' as long as the certyifying body is reputable.