[Sherylcatmom]

We buy local first, then organic, then conventional if there's no other option for a food item (as long as it's not one of the "dirty dozen" foods that holds the pesticides).

The thing about local is that we typically pay less, plus we get to talk to the farmers and learn how they actually grow food. Often, it's organic, but the farmer lacks the time and money to jump through the certified organic hoops. Our summer CSA is with a local farm that is organic with small o, but not with a capital O for certified.

[vter]

Ditto what Sheryl said about buying local.
I was in the Middlebury co-op yesterday. Plenty of local fresh produce - carrots, lettuce, other greens etc.