So Tell Me Which Costs More? An Organics Comparison

At the University District Farmers Market on Saturday I went to my favorite lettuce seller. This is the kind of stuff he comes up with all summer long. It's quite amazing to see really well-grown organic lettuce in half a dozen varieties, stuff you'd never find in a grocery store. And his varieties are all huge, really huge, and leafy. Plus they're picked that morning so they will keep in a crisper for a week or more.

And the taste! You don't know what lettuce really tastes like till you've grown it organically and eaten it day-fresh.

Anyway, as regular readers know I'm constantly thumping the media cliche about how organic stuff costs soooo much more!
So I thought I'd do a real-time, investigative blog on the issue. The above photos were taken after I got back from the market. On the way home I stopped by a conventional grocery and picked up near-equivalents for purposes of comparison. Here's how it shook out:






The Farmers Market organic produce is on the left (in my right hand).

Cost of romaine-style lettuce: $1.75 organic, $1.99 conventional (from California)

Cost of head lettuce: $1.75 organic, $1.99 conventional (California)

Cost of tomatoes: $3.50 lb. organic, $3.99 lb. (Canada)

Now you tell me which costs more! Not only is the lettuce cheaper, it's worlds fresher, it tastes incredibly better, and it's about twice as big.

Same story on the tomatoes. (The local tomato is greenhouse grown, the Canadian is hydroponic. They both taste pretty good, but the local is bigger and juicier.)

As the market ramps up, we'll be getting carrots, broccoli, berries, soft fruit. I'll keep GreenforGood Daily Green readers posted, but my suspicion is that the organic-is-cheaper (or at least comparable) rule will continue to fly.

Here's why: With the cost of gasoline soaring, food that has to travel an average of 1,200 to 1,500 miles to reach your plate has GOT to cost a lot more to account for higher distribution costs.

But local produce doesn't have to travel very far. So while local farmers' gas prices have gone up, too, their distribution costs are disproportionately lower.

Think globally, save locally.

-- Paul Andrews, GreenforGood

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Tot Pots: Organic Baby Food Done Right

At the University Farmers Market on Saturday I ran across a new booth selling organic baby/toddler food. They're called Tot Pots and they're made up fresh, flash frozen and ready for thawing and serving for busy kidlets.

Co-owner Whitney Anderson had several samples out that looked a lot tastier than any baby food I've ever seen. And healthier!

If you're by the Market on Saturdays, check 'em out! Or go to the Tot Pots Web site for more info. They're looking into shipping options and if it works out we hope to be able to offer them through GreenforGood!

-- Paul Andrews, GreenforGood

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