Honestly, when it's local vs. organic, I almost always choose local. The exception is when it's a farm or company I know is no good (my dad grows fruit, so I know a lot of the local growers, and therefore which ones to avoid).

This is the list of "The Dirty Dozen" Things you should avoid buying conventional and try to buy organic. If you google it you will find it in CNN, PBS and magazines articles. These kind of produce uses more pesticides and/or absorbs more than other.

celery
peaches
strawberries
apples
domestic blueberries
nectarines
sweet bell peppers
spinach, kale and collard greens
cherries
potatoes
imported grapes
lettuce

I try to do the dirty dozen but my budget can't always allow it. Sad but true.

Agree with local over organic, but when I can't get local (I live in MN so during the winter there isn't much local produce to choose from), I go with organic if possible. It's definitely more expensive, but worth the cost.

I do the same. I always choose local whenever possible but from about January through May, my local farmer's market is closed and I can't find local produce so I buy organic produce from the grocery store. I hate those months when the farmer's market isn't open.

When the farmer's market is open, I typically don't shop the farmers that are certified organic. I have discovered from talking with the farmers that there are many who are following all organic practices but just haven't spent the money to be certified organic. I buy from them because they are far less expensive than those who are certified and the produce is just as healthy.