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Get Peachy!
Summer is full of delicious dilemmas. Peaches or plums? Strawberries or raspberries? It's tempting to make choices on a whim, but with a few quick facts, you can choose seasonal fruits that taste fantastic and contain little or no pesticide residue.
July 2008
Choose organically grown peaches, nectarines, apples, strawberries, and cherries as often as possible.
You get the biggest bang for your organic buck with these fruits. Over 90% of non-organic samples of these five fruits tested by the USDA contained at least one pesticide.
Washington is the nation's leader in producing organic apples and cherries. Look for organic Washington-grown strawberries in July, cherries in July and August, and peaches and nectarines from July through September. Apples are harvested August through November.
Try this mnemonic device to remember this list: Peaches, Strawberries, Nectarines, Apples, and Cherries for a Peachy organic SNAC(k)!
If organic options aren't available, non-organic blueberries are a better bet.
Non-organic samples of blueberries tested by the USDA contained lower levels of pesticides, though organic fruit is always preferable when it is available. Look for organic Washington-grown blueberries July through September.
Why not go visit a local organic farm and pick your own fruit? You can find organic farms in Washington offering u-pick fruit, and Puget Sound Fresh has more information on farms in the Puget Sound region.
Have a delightful summer!
Additional Resources:
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Pollution in People: learn how to make Safer Food Choices.
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Washington State Farmers Market Association: find a farmers market near you .
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Tilth Producers of Washington: explore a directory of organic and sustainable farms in Washington.
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Local Harvest: find farms and farmers markets anywhere in the country.
