Cost of organic produce in your area?

[sanguine_speed]

In browsing this forum, I've noticed that when other posters mention the costs of organic produce the cost seems much lower than what I'm paying here. I suppose that's probably because I'm in a cold climate and we must "import" our organics from overseas or from the US.
I'm going to do some investigating in the coming days and write down what the prices actually are at a variety of stores right now (it being winter of course) and then again when it's spring/summer/fall.

For now, could you give me an idea of what you would spend on the following organic items? Do the prices change seasonally, and if so, by how much?
And most importantly, where do you live?

The items I'm most curious about:

celery
grapes
cucumber (I paid $5.65 for ONE organic cucumber the other day--non-organic was less than $1).
nectarines/peaches
apples
oranges
potatoes/sweet potatoes
berries

Add anything to that list you think is markedly noticeable.

Thanks so much!

[Poddi]

I can only tell you those that are in season right now. I don't buy summer stuff in winter. Potatoes, carrot, apples and oranges range from $1 - $1.50 /lb. Celery is usually $2 - $3 per head. Broccoli $2.50 - $3 per bunch, cauliflower around $3 per small head. Bagged salad, usually about twice as much as conventional ones. Berries - not really available right now. Grapes, cucumbers, peaches, nectarines... Pretty expensive, I'm not sure. Organic bananas is usually 69 cents per lb. Most stuff here are imported, too. HTH

[sarasprings]

I'm in upstate NY and it's expensive here, too. The only prices I specifically remember are:

bananas .79-.89/lb
green/red peppers 4.99/2
sweet potatoes 3.99/3 lbs

We try to grow as much as possible in the summer and store for winter because the prices are pretty high even at the farmers market in season.

[Village Mama]

The things that you are buying will be ridiculously expensive right now. I am on the Canadian west coast. I try to buy what is in season or on sale. I will wait to load up on apples when they are on sale...I also loaded up on produce that stores well for winter... local though... not organic.

I find though if I do buy some of the items on your list, If I store them really really well, they last for a really long time.
(if you are in Canada... sounded like you were from the post.... and you have a Superstore, or Real Canadian Warehouse(there are a couple more stores owned by the same company) You can often buy bags of organic apples, lemons, avocados and bananas for significantly cheaper than at the regular grocery store. We dont make it there anymore, but I remember it being good for a few products)

[lenore80]

Michigan prices (grocery store)

Bag of potatoes 5.99

apples .99/lb when on special

Green Beans 7.99 (I think it was for 1 or 2 lbs)

I buy my stuff at the co-op and its much cheaper.

[sanguine_speed]

Whoops, sorry; I forget that you don't all know where I live! I'm in Ottawa, Canada.

We use a coop, but coops here aren't much like those in the US from what I've seen. The coop doesn't sell fresh produce, but we can get packaged frozen organic at a lower price than the grocery store.

In the spring/summer/fall there is an organic farmer's market where we can get fresh local organic produce, but our spring/summer/fall equals only half the year. The other half is winter . If only I could bring myself to move south! Or west! But, I digress...

I don't know how to figure out what's "in season" as I guess that depends on where in the world our stuff is coming from, doesn't it? Some of it is from overseas and some from North America. I can't imagine that certain things are grown only in July all over the world.

I'm going to have to figure out how to store produce so that next fall I can stock up for the winter! We recently bought a freezer so hopefully that will help us next year.

[sanguine_speed]

Originally Posted by Village Mama

(if you are in Canada... sounded like you were from the post.... and you have a Superstore, or Real Canadian Warehouse(there are a couple more stores owned by the same company) You can often buy bags of organic apples, lemons, avocados and bananas for significantly cheaper than at the regular grocery store. We dont make it there anymore, but I remember it being good for a few products)

I actually try not to shop there or any of their umbrella stores. It's all Loblaw Inc, owned by the Westons and they totally hoard wealth. They are the wealthiest family/company in Canada and I prefer to spend a touch extra to support smaller business.

But, you're right on in advising me on the cheapest grocery store option and I appreciate the help.

[TiredX2]

Originally Posted by sanguine_speed

celery
grapes
cucumber
nectarines/peaches
apples
oranges
potatoes/sweet potatoes
berries

Celery--- we buy so little I don't know.
Grapes--- there is almost NEVER organic available, so we just don't eat them. When they are availabe they are usually $3.99/lb
Cucumber--- see celery
Nectarines/Peaches--- I would only buy those in season. Conventional at this time of the year is $2.99-3.99/lb. Organic in season is comparable to conventional out of season.
Apples--- We go for the $1.99/lb variety that we like. I saw some red & golden delicious at safeway on sale for .99/lb last week, but we don't eat those. The different brands generally rund $1.99-3.49/lb
Oranges--- see Grapes. W/the thick peels, oranges don't hit my "need" list
Potatoes--- $3.99/5 lb bag generally
Berries--- through the nose. It was $5.99/lb last week for strawberries, no other berries availabe. Their pricing is comparable to peaches though--- in season about the same as conventional out of season (and around here conventional get CHEAP in the summer).

[Village Mama]

Yeah... I agree about the Loblaw stores! But for times when we have been bringing in an income that is the same as if we are recieving assistance, it was the only way to be able to afford a bag of organic apples.Do what you need to do!
We luckily have a great local grocery store on the island that really trys to bring in a lot of organic and as much local produce as possible. I think what people are saying when they say " in season" is what would be growing in your area or near your area right now. So around this time of year when nothing is growing, the in season veggies would be storage veggies... squash, potatoes, apples etc. The cheaper it is the more likely it is in season.Sometimes this time of year citris will be plentyful and in season elsewhere as well as avocados.Gas prices for the transport are still good enough for the price to be affordable.
I feel that its probably a good idea to stick with what is growing nearby anyhow. It seems to match up with our bodies needs in this climate.

[vanilla]

These are the prices, though I don't buy all this stuff organic (I just look at a lot of it, and usually only buy the dirty dozen organic)

celery-$2.69 for a bunch
grapes- $3-something/lb
cucumber-$2.59 for 2
nectarines/peaches- not available (I'm guessing they would be $3 plus per lb)
apples- just paid .99/lb, on sale, usually 1.49 lb
oranges-dunno
potatoes/sweet potatoes also dunno
berries- $5 something for a pretty minuscule container. I think the strawberries were $2.89 pint or something.

I buy 3 romaine hearts for $2.79 and then 1 lb box of spinach for $4.99, which is pretty cheap IMO. I make salad for a week with that and some carrots (1.69 for 3 lbs)

[celestialdreamer]

We buy our produce through a local organic farm's CSA. We pay for each season up front and its all in season stuff only. They do have a farm store with other organic produce thats been shipped in, but we stick mostly to the in season stuff so right now its carrots, potatoes, greens (they grow them in a greenhouse), apples etc. I don't pay buy the lb so I can't answer your question properly...

[mamajessica]

I just have to jump in and say that I bought 6 medium/smallish tomatoes without looking at the per lb price and I ended up paying almost $7!!!

[oldcrunchymom]

celery $2.99/lb
grapes ?? I hardly ever see these organic
cucumber ?? Ditto
nectarines/peaches ??
apples $3.99/3 lb bag
oranges $5.99/3 lb bag
potatoes $3.99/5 lb bag
sweet potatoes $1.99/lb
berries $3.69/10 oz (frozen)
Onions $3.99/3 lb bag
Carrots $3.99/5 lb bag
Bananas $.99/lb
Big bag of mixed greens $4.99
Frozen veggies $1.99-2.99/16 oz bag

A lot of these items are often on sale for cheaper.

[LadyMarmalade]

celery - $4.00 each
grapes - $15.00 kg
cucumber - $4.00 kg
nectarines/peaches $7.00 kg
apples - $6.00 kg
oranges - $4.00 kg
potatoes/sweet potatoes - $2.50 and $3.00 kg
berries - strawberries were $5.50 a punnet yesterday (250g)

tomatoes - $7.00kg
bananas - $3.00 kg
carrote - $3.00 kg
nectarines - $6.00 kg
eggs - $5.74 dozen
garlic - $22.00 kg
avocadoes - $2.45 each
mangoes - $1.45 each
pears - $6.00 kg
zucchini - $4.00 kg
broccoli - $10.00 kg

These prices are from the organic co-op we're part of. The prices are cost plus a small percentage to cover our rent/electricity/freight etc. At the regular supermarket prices are 30% to 50% higher than the prices I've listed.

[TiredX2]

Originally Posted by mamajessica

I just have to jump in and say that I bought 6 medium/smallish tomatoes without looking at the per lb price and I ended up paying almost $7!!!

Yeah, tomatoes were up to $4.99/lb this week

[scrapadoozer]

celery Not sure
grapes $3.99 lb
cucumber $2.99 for a pkg of two
nectarines/peaches HA! I wish! I've never seen either of these. DD loves peaches
apples $1.49 lb
oranges...Reasonable can't remember how much
potatoes/sweet potatoes Potatoes are $3.99 for 5 lb bag
berries $4 per 8 oz pkg.

I'm in Maine.

[lilyka]

celery $1.50 for a bunch, $2 for two hearts. about the same as reg.
grapes $3 per pound. about $1 per pound more than regular.
cucumber $2 each. much more than reg. and usually bitter.
nectarines/peaches Oh I got peaches once. they are raerly available and they were gross. I htink I paid $4-$5 for 4 of them.
apples $1-$1.75 per pound. sometimes more sometimes less than reg.
oranges same as apples.
potatoes/sweet potatoes seems like they are about $3-$5 for a 5# bag which is insane. reg is about $1-$3 for a 5# bag.
berries freaking expensive. strawberries are $4 for a pint. reg are $2.50 - $3 for a quart. raspberries are $5-$6 for a pint.
carrots are $1 for a pound or $4 for 5# which is about the same.
bannanas $.69-$.49 a pound. regular ar about $.50
onions $3 for a 3# bag vs. $1.50

and I live in South Dakota where it never gets warm enough for fruit and very few veggies are available any time of year.

[sanguine_speed]

Follow-up

So I purchased some organic produce yesterday, and here are the prices (yes, at the Big Box store):

3lbs sweet potatoes, $3.99
cherry tomatoes (pint): $3.99
medium pineapple: $4.99
4 medium pears: $3.51
small bag of onions: $1.99

[countrymom]

My local fruit/ produce lady right now has organic brocolli for 99 cents a pound....she varies in what she gets--but that price is awesome. I bought a lot.

I buy carrots 3.99 for 5 lb bag
Banannas are 79-99 cents

Due to cost I don't buy a lot of organic in winter--unless on sale or somewhat comparable to regular.

A lot of my other veggies are thru a co-op---organic so in summer months I don't pay per pound---we just fill up out bag once a week w/ what we want from the selections........

[KimberMama]

Originally Posted by sanguine_speed

celery
grapes
cucumber (I paid $5.65 for ONE organic cucumber the other day--non-organic was less than $1).
nectarines/peaches
apples
oranges
potatoes/sweet potatoes
berries

Add anything to that list you think is markedly noticeable.

Thanks so much!

Celery - 1.79 a bunch

Grapes - 3.39 a pound

Cucumber - they were 1.49 each and very small last week

Nectarines/peaches - I don't think my store has these fresh right now. I pay 2.79 for 10 oz. of organic frozen peaches, which is 4.64 a pound for 100% useable fruit.

Apples - regular price is 1.89 a pound for Fujis. They go on sale occasionally.

Oranges - .79 a pound for navels. Unsprayed but not certified valencia oranges can be purchased at the farmer's market at the rate of $6 for 28 pounds

Potatoes - 1.09 a pound
Sweet potatoes 1.49 a pound

Berries - not in season right now

Also:

Broccoli - 1.99 a pound
Cauliflower - 1.99 a pound
Lettuce - 1.79 a head
Kale - 1.89 a bunch
Kiwi - .59 each
Bananas - .89 a pound