Prices of Produce, Fruit and Other Foods

[JimFoxvog]

Here's my current price list for the farmers' market:

Green Beans …………………………… $4.00 / quart
Hungarian Wax, Jalapeño, or Pineapple Peppers
………………… $0.50 each, $4.00 basket
Green Bell Peppers ……………..…… $3.00 / pound
Ripe Bell Peppers ………..……..…… $5.00 / pound
Tomatoes …………… $3.00 / pound, $5.00 / quart
Summer Squash ………………..….. $1.00 each
Greens (purslane, lambsquarter, red amaranth,
nettles) ………….……….…….. $2.50 / bag
Blackberries ……………………………. $5.00 / pint
Herbs ……….….……………….…….. $2.00 / bunch
Garlic ……… $1.50 each, 7 for $10, 10 for $14
Pumpkin ………….…………….…….. $5.00
Golden Oyster Mushrooms ………… not for sale

I find some of my prices are higher than at the supermarket and some are lower. Our market does not allow reselling--you must grow any produce you sell.

I expect none of the produce vendors make minimum wage if you consider all the work that went into growing the food.

(Our local health department does not allow the selling of wild mushrooms, so I give them away. Some folks put something in our donation jar.)

We follow USDA Organic guidelines but are not certified so can not use the description "organic" in our publicity. On the question above on "organic grass", that would mean no artificial fertilizers or pesticides were used. If it's legally labeled "organic" the farmer does a lot of paperwork and pays large fees to be certified.

[Josh]

I find some of my prices are higher than at the supermarket and some are lower. Our market does not allow reselling--you must grow any produce you sell.

It would be nice if more farmers' markets would do this. Many of them just turn into half or more of the vendors reselling junk they've ordered off Alibaba.

[Arnold33_09]

I grew up in a farming family too, so I can relate. It's true that roadstand produce used to be cheaper and fresher. Now, I see the same trend where local produce costs more than grocery stores. I think it might be due to higher costs for small farmers and the perception of better quality.

[Josh]

@Soloist, prices around here are $6 a quart for U-Pick, which seems a little steep.

[mike]

I grew up on a produce farm. Lots of hard work, but also lots of good sleep after working 15 hour days, 6 days a week.

When I was a boy, prices for produce being sold along the road on trucks and wagons was generally less than grocery store prices. Produce was also fresher and often better quality if bought along the road.

Today, fresh produce sold along the road is more expensive than in the grocery stores, where I live. Is this a national trend or does it just have something to do with our region being an affluent area?

I'm also curious whether produce and fruit farmers are doing better, about the same, or not as good as compared to 35 years ago. (in light of inflation)

One part of my business this time of year is wholesaling produce to small Amish farms to supplement their offerings at their produce stands. I'm pretty sure that many of their retail prices end up being higher than grocery store prices. However there is often a qualitative difference between the items that can often explain the difference in price. For example roadside stands are selling local vine-ripened tomatoes picked a day or two prior while stores are selling tomatoes that were picked two weeks prior from across the country.

That said, I do also sell them things like blueberries and cherries from commercial sources which they repack into green fiber pints and quarts and which people no doubt purchase believing they are locally grown or somehow more special than what they might find in the grocery stores.

Ernie I think the State College area does have an affect on what these types of places can charge. The buyers at the produce auctions who retail or wholesale in high-dollar urban or suburban areas typically pay some of the highest prices at the auction. But they don't usually buy high volume.

I think most produce growers are doing well, at least the ones who have high quality. They tend to be there year after year, decade after decade, and I assume they have plenty of other options for things to do with their time. So I assume they are doing fine. One grower built a new house a few years ago and of course his high-priced tomatoes always came with the comment that we were building his house.

[Ernie]

One grower built a new house a few years ago and of course his high-priced tomatoes always came with the comment that we were building his house.

The grower made this comment?

[mike]

Here's my current price list for the farmers' market:

Green Beans …………………………… $4.00 / quart
Hungarian Wax, Jalapeño, or Pineapple Peppers
………………… $0.50 each, $4.00 basket
Green Bell Peppers ……………..…… $3.00 / pound
Ripe Bell Peppers ………..……..…… $5.00 / pound
Tomatoes …………… $3.00 / pound, $5.00 / quart
Summer Squash ………………..….. $1.00 each
Greens (purslane, lambsquarter, red amaranth,
nettles) ………….……….…….. $2.50 / bag
Blackberries ……………………………. $5.00 / pint
Herbs ……….….……………….…….. $2.00 / bunch
Garlic ……… $1.50 each, 7 for $10, 10 for $14
Pumpkin ………….…………….…….. $5.00
Golden Oyster Mushrooms ………… not for sale

I find some of my prices are higher than at the supermarket and some are lower. Our market does not allow reselling--you must grow any produce you sell.

I expect none of the produce vendors make minimum wage if you consider all the work that went into growing the food.

(Our local health department does not allow the selling of wild mushrooms, so I give them away. Some folks put something in our donation jar.)

We follow USDA Organic guidelines but are not certified so can not use the description "organic" in our publicity. On the question above on "organic grass", that would mean no artificial fertilizers or pesticides were used. If it's legally labeled "organic" the farmer does a lot of paperwork and pays large fees to be certified.

Those prices seem very much in line with grocery store prices. The bell peppers might be higher. But as you say these are not your run-of-the mill products. Local and organic should command premium prices as long as the quality is good. Green beans are bringing anywhere from $25-40 per half bushel these days. Scarce due to drought I guess. So your price on those is pretty good.

[mike]

One grower built a new house a few years ago and of course his high-priced tomatoes always came with the comment that we were building his house.

The grower made this comment?

It's been awhile, but I'm pretty sure it was usually the buyers that brought that up. And he didn't deny it.

[temporal1]

Before anything, i sooo appreciate conventional stores, esp produce departments, that somehow offer fresh fruits+veggies all year. It’s fairly miraculous, and wasn’t always so.

Farmer’s Markets are marvelous, too. In all locations+varieties.

Part of my PNW life is with ^^both, a fav Farmer’s Market:

MIFM
https://www.mifarmersmarket.org/marketvendors

Collins Family Orchards / Selah, WA
https://www.collinsfamilyorchards.com/

A few years ago, my daughter bought Collins’ fruit with a small group.
Each month they would pick up boxes of mixed fruits, according to what was ripe.

The boxes were generous, we had plenty and shared with neighbors.

No words. So delicious.

- - - - - - -

Last summer, my grdaughter and i were gobbling up tender, sweet raspberries, she loves them!
i described what an amazing thing that these tender fruits could go through so many hands, sometimes travel so far, then land in our hands to eat! i hope she always remembers.



1800’s / Revolution on Rails: Refrigerated Box Cars
https://www.thehenryford.org/explore/bl ... d-box-cars

[Ken]

One grower built a new house a few years ago and of course his high-priced tomatoes always came with the comment that we were building his house.

The grower made this comment?

It's been awhile, but I'm pretty sure it was usually the buyers that brought that up. And he didn't deny it.

Farmers are supposed to work for free and be homeless?