by Victoria Taylor

Created on: February 24, 2009   Last Updated: February 27, 2009

In the early days of organic farming consumers lamented over the flaccid, bug-nibbled, exorbitantly expensive offerings available at the health food store. The burgeoning field of organic farming was in its infancy and, admittedly, the results were less than stellar. Consumers wanted tantalizingly large and pristine fruits and veggies that were cultivated through costly and continuous applications of fertilizers, insecticides, herbicides and fungicides.

Remember the strawberry scare of a year or so ago? How about the recent reports of contaminated peanut butter products and melamine in milk-based products?

Let's face it. In these shaky financial times, more and more money-conscious shoppers throw caution to the wind and look for the bargain. At the same time, elite shoppers delight in dropping a small fortune on model fruit and veggies to impress their dining guests. But what's the trade-off?

Let's consider the pitfalls of selecting off-season imports. First of all, there's that all-important word: fresh! Out-of-season fruits and vegetables often come from thousands of miles outside your geographic zone, thus must be harvested well before they reach maturity.

They are sorted, packed, shipped, sorted, inspected, packaged, shipped ... you get the idea ... before they ever make it to your region, much less to the grocer's shelves. This is why that gorgeous peach you picked up at the store for a king's ransom was the texture of a baseball and tasted like wet cardboard. Don't waste your money!

Locally grown foods will be in-season. This means that your local farmers can leave the fruit and veggies to ripen to perfection on the vine. They carefully pick and package the produce - after all, they likely have much less product to sell so must ensure that their harvest arrives to market in peak condition.

By supplying local grocers, their offerings are available sometimes within hours of harvesting, ensuring the consumer the freshest vitamin-rich produce possible.

But what about looks ... don't they count for something? Certainly! But unlike those early days of wilted, bug-eaten produce, today's organic and natural growers have a better understanding of how Mother Nature works.

They manage pests naturally by introducing control predators, planting decoy crops, carefully placing and baiting traps, and occasionally jet spraying crops with mild food-grade solutions. This limits the potential for contamination with carcinogens and harmful bacteria.

Think you can't afford organic produce? Think again! Even today's chain grocery outlets offer shoppers a wide variety of locally grown produce. Consumers are demanding better options and the retail world is responding. This support ensures an adequate income stream for the local farmer and helps to control the price to the cost-conscious shopper.

And don't overlook your local farmer's markets. Although these grassroots markets are seasonal in most cities, they offer a chance for the grower and consumer to interact. It's a fabulous opportunity to learn important facts about farming from hands-on farmers. And the markets often offer tasting samples, unique ethnic foods and a wide range of entertainment options to suit everyone in the family.

Prices are often remarkably low since the market cuts out the middleman, and your children will learn to appreciate the importance of health maintenance from the inside out.

So dust off your recipe books, pack up the family and take a stroll through your local Farmer's Market this Saturday or Sunday. It's low-cost entertainment and hassle free shopping at its best!

Learn more about this author, Victoria Taylor.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.