Conservation 101: the Compete to Conserve Blog

Call me stupid, but when I saw Heirloom tomatoes at the local grocery store, it never dawned on me that these were actual antiques. Or maybe they are more like ancient family recipes, handed down the generations.

Either way, the current debate around the lack of diversity in the global food supply has more people buying heirlooms—both the food and the seeds.

Small groups of local and organic farmers have made it almost an elite practice/underground supply chain/cult following—more than a hobby, not quite an obsession, but possibly something close.

And who could blame them? The idea of a genetic strain of tomato that extends back 50 to 100 years is pretty cool. Though not all heirloom fruit and vegetable varieties go back that far, all have been passed down within a family or community. They are also unique and genetically distinct from commercial options. (more…)

photo credit: macieklew

To help shoppers make informed choices at the grocery store, the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit dedicated to educating consumers about commonplace but potentially dangerous chemicals, tested pesticide residue on common fruits and vegetables. The lists they created from their research serve as a great money-saving cheat sheet:

12 Fruits & Veggies Highest in Pesticides (Try to Buy Organic)

1. Peaches
2. Apples
3. Sweet Bell Peppers
4. Celery
5. Nectarines
6. Strawberries
7. Cherries
8. Lettuce
9. Grapes - imported
10. Pears
11. Spinach
12. Potatoes

12 Fruits & Veggies Lowest in Pesticides (Don’t Sweat If It’s Not Organic)

1. Onions
2. Avocado
3. Sweet Corn - frozen
4. Pineapples
5. Mangoes
6. Sweet Peas - frozen
7. Asparagus
8. Kiwi
9. Bananas
10. Cabbage
11. Broccoli
12. Eggplant

EWG offers a more detailed downloadable PDF guide that you can print out and take shopping. The other good news is that our family taste tests, the “try to buy organic” foods like peaches, apples, and strawberries taste much better than their higher-in-pesticide counterparts. And the ones lowest in pesticides like onions or cabbage taste just as good as organic.