Whenever possible, this is what I buy. My reasoning is this:

Let's say you're over at my house, and you see an apple in a fruitbasket that's hanging in my kitchen, and grab it for a snack. But, I then say "Wait a sec, let me see that", then I get out a spray-can of Raid Insect Killer and spray it all over the apple.

You would then balk at the thought of eating it, right? Well, then I would say, "Ok, ok, ok, here, let me take care of it". I then rinse it off under some running water from the sink and hand it back to you. Would you THEN want to eat it? But I rinsed off the poison off of it right? So, it's safe to eat then, RIGHT?

Well, THIS is what is done with conventionally grown fruits, vegetables, and grains.

I'm willing to pay extra (although I always try to buy en mass when on sale) for ORGANICALLY grown foods.

I don't worry so much about root veggies like potatoes and beets (they don't need to be sprayed with poison because they're underground) and fruits in which the skins are not consumed, (pineapples, mangos, etc).

Another thing to keep in mind, if you support Organic-Based Farming Practices, you make them more competitive in the market and their prices will most likely come down.

If you think all that insecticide just "washes off" because you rinse them underwater.........well..........I don't share your faith.

Raid and the ones farmers use are two different things. There are FDA standards, you know. lol

But yeah, I can see what you mean. It does creep me out when they genetically modify food.

organic stuff can be contaminated as well. surface runoff and pollute the soils. handling after the food is grown.. warehouses... grocery store clerks who didnt wash their hands after using the bathroom.. toxins are everywhere. fortunetly, your body builds up a resistance against these things and you are good to go. as much i like to think organic is the way to go, because of the support of local farmers, its not "harmless." i usually mix it up.

FDA approval does NOT comfort me in regards to this subject. LOL, then again, you know my built-in distrust of government in general.

This is the same FDA that allowed Thalidomide to be sold the market, while at the same time, didn't allow beta-blockers to be sold in the U.S. for many years before they finally relented. The former caused severe birth defects for thousands of children and the later caused the unnecessary deaths the tens of thousands of people that would have otherwise benefited from use of that newly discovered type of drug. But I digress.............

Andy, what if the insecticide/herbicide that they commercially spray on farms is MORE toxic than household pesticides? Have you considered that possibility?

unfortunately, organically grown doesn't necessarily help when they pick food before it's ripe so when it gets on the shelf it at least "looks" ripe.

most nutrients form in fruits and vegetables in the last week or two of ripening. if the food is picked prior to that - the food you get, organic or not - may not have the nutrition you think you're getting.

but i'm still with you, H. when at all possible - i buy organic. vine-ripened if possible - but definitely organic.

luckily we have fresh food markets where i live...i dont really worry about that stuff very much. and we grow some of our own so i know exactly what is in it.

Theres bad in everything if you look hard enough. I choose to not live in fear. Maybe if organic wasnt 5 times more expensive and 5 times less shelf life time. Im very poor! LOL and groceries already break the bank.