Where do you get organic fruit in large quantities?

[Valerie in WA]

I just placed an order for organic staples (see my thread in the preparedness forum) like flour and oats and dried beans, etc. But the company did not have any produce in stock. A couple of things were out of stock and a couple had not yet come in (for the season). I was really counting on getting that fruit and canning for winter. They offer 20 pound boxes of organic apples, peaches, pears and grapes for $15-$25 per box.

I do have a local fruit market, but they do not offer any organics. While their prices are low, I'd rather just buy store-canned fruits at loss leader. It's not worth it to me to go to that effort for non-organic fruit.

I do have a local health food store where I can purchase small quantities of organic fruit, but it's so expensive. For instance a package of 4 apples, weighing 1.25 pounds is about $1.79. Grapes and strawberries are over $3 per pound. There's got to be a better way!!

[homesteadmamma]

Our health food store is the same has yours. They sell some however they are so expensive you just can't purchase it from them.

Many grocery stores now have organic veggies. All 3 of our grocery stores in our area now have them. They are quite a bit more expensive though than the regular fruit.

I always remember what Margery said. I buy organic when I can when it comes to fruit and veggies, and the rest I just purchase as regular fruit and veggies. The neat thing about gardening is that you have all the organic veggies you want to work for. Every veggie in my freezer is organic - I love it.

If you can't purchase organic fruits and veggies, look to see where they come from. Those that come from other countries are usually the ones that aren't organic because they have further to travel and the spray them with some sort of preservative for that very reason. I try to purchase has much fruit as I can from Canada for that very reason.

Also farmer's markets will often have a few farmers who are strictly organic. You might try there.

[forestdale]

All our mainstream supermarkets have organic produce now, but it's expensive. We're blessed in this area with having quite a few organic stores and supermarkets that sell fruit, vegies, eggs, butter, milk, cheese and cream. They are always more expensive because the growers don't speed up their deveopment with chemical fetilizers. Organic food tends to be slow, it takes its time. That adds to the cost.

I barter my fresh free range organic eggs for milk and cream at the local dairy.

The best option for you may be to search out farmers markets where the grower will be selling their own produce. Often they're organic, even if they aren't certified. Another option is to try roadside stalls, they often take vegies and fruit from small growers who are often non-certified organic. Ask around, it's worth it.

As CJ suggested, buy local produce if you can. It makes my blood boil to see garlic from China, oranges from California and bananas from the Phillipines, when I go shopping. Your country and mine are quite capable of growing all our own produce and we should support our own farmers.

I noted in the garden threads that you're a gardener, so if you can get through the fall and winter, you should be able to grow a lot of your own vegetables next year.

I admire your efforts to provide nutritious food for your family, and doing it with a frugal eye. It's time consuming setting it all up but when you've got the suppliers that provide you with good quality produce at reasonable prices, it'll be easier.

[QuilterMom]

Had this all typed out and lost my post so I'll try to remember what I said.........


We have a chain health food store that runs sales for a period of two weeks at a time. I buy heavily on the loss leaders during sales. We do have one grocery store with a small selection of organic fresh fruits and veggies, but their prices are higher than the health food store. We do not have any local farms so buying something from a farmer that has not had pesticides used on it, but is not certified organic is not an option we have. We also do not have a co-op here.

Not everything we buy is organic. It's just not possible. You can find a wealth of info online as to what fruits and veggies are highest in pesticide residues (those are what I insist on buying organic) and which are the least (there's where our leeway comes in).