How can I find out if produce is organic, but not certified? The best way is to go to a farmers market. That way you can ask the farmers directly.

At the grocery store, many non-certified organic farmers write: “non-sprayed”, or “no-chemicals”, on their products, in order to help you understand that their products are in fact organic. Technically, they can’t use the words “organic” if they aren’t certified.

“But reducing your exposure to pesticides isn’t the only reason to frequent your local farmers' market. Buying produce grown locally is also the best way to cut down on your food miles, or the distance your food has to travel to get from farm to plate. Fewer food miles means fewer greenhouse gas emissions, as well as richer taste. That pear shipped from Chile to New York, for example, has been in so many fossil-fuel burning vehicles before it got to you that it’s left a disproportionately large carbon footprint and isn’t exactly fresh off the tree. Buy straight from a local farmer and in all likelihood that apple, bunch of beets, carton of eggs, or pot of honey you just plunked in your canvas bag traveled 100 miles max to get to you. It may well have been picked, harvested, or poured that morning.” - Amy Zavatto, www.plentymag.com/ask/2008/04/nonorganic_produce_from_farmer.php