Help us feed our zygote some apples.

September 8, 2008 6:23 AM

Twin Cities mefites: Where can I find locally grown apples that are safe for a pregnant woman? Looking for an orchard, not a market. (Other hot tips on finding local, seasonal foods for a mother-to-be appreciated if you have them!)

So we just found out that Mrs. Frogs is preggo. Hooray! Our first kid (and the only one we plan to have) so we're both excited, but we're also freaking out about Evil Chemicals.

We both love apples. We both also know that non-organic apples are high on the list of Most Evil Fruits in terms of pesticide residues. We can find some apples in local stores, but we were really looking forward to fall trips to local orchards. We plan to do some investigating ourselves, but I figured someone out there might already know.

Are there orchards within a reasonable drive that feature organic or at least low-penetration treatment apples? You-Pick would be ideal for us, but not necessarily essential.

We're trying to be as organic/local/sustainable as we can (and as we can afford) with the pregnancy. We have already been hitting the farmer's markets, but I think we'd both like to get to the source for a change now and again, for some fun weekend trips, so as mentioned above non-apple-specific seasonal food source recommendations are welcome.

posted by caution live frogs to Food & Drink (6 answers total)

Local Harvest is your friend. Here's a search for "orchard" centered on Minneapolis. It doesn't look like any of them are certified organic, but several use "naturally grown" farming practices. Here's Local Harvest's definition of naturally grown: "Some of our farms prefer not to pursue an organic certification, but do follow organic principles in growing their produce."
posted by cog_nate at 6:37 AM on September 8, 2008

Apples are among the hardest crops to grow without chemical assistance, and a true organic local apple is very, very hard to find. There are a huge number of fungi, insects, and molds that can spoil an entire season's apple crop, so they are a very vulnerable fruit to grow. Few people who sell apples for a living can afford to risk losing everything, so they often use protective practices of one form or another. You can look for a "low spray" orchard on Local Harvest, and then give them a call and let them know what you're looking for. Ask exactly what they do and tell them you're pregnant. You might decide it's best to just wait on apple-eating until you're no longer pregnant, or you might find an orchardist who can explain exactly what they're doing to your satisfaction. This will definitely be one of those "know your farmer" situations, though.
posted by Miko at 7:22 AM on September 8, 2008

If I were in your shoes, I'd call one of the local coop groceries (like the Wedge) and ask them for help. They're doing a big push for local eating this month, so I'm sure they would have lots of good information. Sorry I don't have any specific orchard names to give you! And congrats on the coming little one!
posted by vytae at 7:35 AM on September 8, 2008

2nd vytae's comment about calling a local co-op. If you get no luck with the Wedge, try the Linden Hills co-op. It's a block from my apt, and the staff has always been helpful to me when I ask questions.

Good luck!
posted by xotis at 7:50 AM on September 8, 2008

I'll third the Wedge for advice (since I'm a member) and heartily endorse the Dumas Orchards (since I worked there in high school and am a friend of the family). I don't know what their pesticide use might be, but they will be honest with you if you call. They're probably also the closest to the cities - about 20 minutes west of Minneapolis if you go straight down 394. Highly recommended, though they do not do pick-your-own, from what I remember.
posted by antonymous at 9:13 AM on September 8, 2008

Response by poster: Thanks, everyone: We'll check out the info supplied and go from there!
posted by caution live frogs at 6:14 PM on September 8, 2008