Groxie

We’ve always fancied ourselves pretty frugal. But after a cross-country move, facing months of serious job searching, John and I have become frighteningly tight fisted. As a result, we’re not able to buy as much organic produce as we used to.

Some time ago I pointed out a chart of the worst non-organic foods to eat. It’s easy enough to avoid them if you’re willing to shell out for the organic options, but what if the price is prohibitive? John discovered a handy article on Care2.org. It rehashes the list of the worst offenders, but also offers some alternatives that provide similar vitamins and minerals.

Of course it’s also the time of year to begin thinking about spring gardening, and you can provide yourself with all sorts of great produce. Peppers are easy to grow, especially if you start out with a little plant from a local nursery. You can have delicious, pesticide–free peppers all summer! If you end up with a bumper crop you can always roast and bottle ‘em for winter enjoyment, too. Potatoes are also easy to grow in most places, and judging by how prolific wild berry bushes are, I’d venture to wage that raspberries aren’t too hard either. If you don’t have a well–stocked local nursery around you, as I’ve mentioned before, I love to get our seeds from Artistic Gardens.