I tentatively endorse this thread. Good luck, guys.

Let's talk produce. Obviously the best way to get produce is to seek out things that are local and in season. Seems pretty clear cut, but virtually every recipe and every day snacking habit I use calls for all sorts of fruits and vegetables from around the world. So, where does that leave us? Are there good and bad types of foreign veggies? Is it even worth the money and trouble to cook something that was picked before it was ripe and shipped thousands of miles? Does unripe picking have an effect on nutrients?

TL:DR - Can I eat a Georgia peach in January?

When I worked in Yakima I surveyed many orchards. I came to find out that most of the apples we buy in stores are a year old and stored in temperature controlled barns, usually on the orchard farm itself. I know this doesn't answer your question, but it is somewhat related. What is the purpose of this? Why not pick and ship immediately?

Probably related to profits for the orchard

Pretty simple: They need to stock up on apples when they can, in case the following season is a bust.

Are fresh ones ever sold, or is this a perpetual stockpile situation that's now backlogged to hell? If fresh ones are sold, who gets them and is there a way for a guy like me to plan road trips and search them out like they were in-season McRibs?

I can't speak to how well these organizations enforce their rules once a producer gets the label.

This is troubling, indeed. I knew it already, or at least strongly suspected it, but hearing it out loud is a real shock to the system. Quite the omnivore's dilemma.