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This one will probably only apply to a few people, as most people live in cities these days. But even some towns have allotments and shared gardens. If you know there are allotments in your area, visit them and start chatting with the gardeners there. Many grow too much produce for their own needs and are happy to either give away or sell at a discount than sell it at store prices. And this produce will be very fresh indeed.
If you do not know any allotments in your area, ask around or check local listings and find out if there are any. You might even want to consider renting an allotment yourself and growing produce for your family. You will have practically free produce, with the bonus of it being super-fresh and pesticide-free. And if gardening is not your strong point, you will have plenty of amateur gardeners with years of experience willing to help you. Allotment owners are among the most helpful people you will meet and are always ready to share their tips.
Slightly related to this is gathering fruit from trees that grow in gardens all around the country. A few months ago, we read an article about how many people have apple trees growing in their gardens, but still buy apples from their local store. When asked why they did not pick and eat the apples that grew in their gardens, they said they had never thought of it and also were not sure if they were safe. Have we lost touch with nature so much that we ignore the fruit growing in our gardens and buy them from the store?
We have also read surveys where young children were asked where certain produce came from and was surprised to learn that many did not know. A significant proportion seemed to think that fruit and vegetables come from the store. It is a sad fact of modern life that many children do not realize that fruits and vegetables come from nature. If you have children, you will be giving them an excellent education if you introduce them to allotments and garden-grown produce.
Some people will pick the fruit that grows in their gardens, but will often have too much, so they will be happy for you to pick and use what they do not need. You will find this is especially true when the fruit is starting to over-ripen. You may be able to get lots of free fruit and vegetables that you will be able to dehydrate or freeze for later use.
