Why are locally-grown fruits and veggies often more expensive than what's at the grocery store?

As part of the “Food Routes” series, Harvest Public Media explores three big factors that affect produce prices in the Midwest and Great Plains.

At the Ames Main Street Farmers’ Market in central Iowa, Arlyn Goraczkowski zigzagged between vendors, filling bags with fresh produce. He opened one to reveal poblano peppers, garlic and leeks. Another was full of tomatoes and basil.

“I’ll use that for a fresh pasta. Then I got some carrots, eggplant, zucchini and yellow peppers, and that I’ll use for a succotash or something along that line,” he said.

Goraczkowski loves to cook with fresh produce. Along with what he grows in his own raised beds, he visits farmers’ markets around the state with his family to buy ingredients. They live in Fort Dodge, almost two hours northwest of Ames.

While t