Prices of Produce, Fruit and Other Foods

[Ernie]

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)

[cooper]

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)

Prices are higher at roadside stands than they are at grocery stores where I live. Where I live a lot of produce farmers take their produce to a local produce auction. I think it's probably more efficient/less hassle for produce farmers to specialize in a few crops and wholesale than to grow and retail a little bit of everything. Maybe people are more reluctant to have the general public stop by their farm than they were 30 years ago. Self-service is less viable perhaps.

[Ken]

Around here the farm stands seem to have evolved into year-round businesses selling jams, candies, nuts, etc. as well as fresh fruit.

I have a big cider press that has been handed down and every year I drive out to Hood River OR to buy about 5-10 bushels of apples for our annual cider making party. I can get apples vastly cheaper that way than trying to buy them through any local grocery. This is my go-to place. They have a popular farm stand: https://kiyokawafamilyorchards.com/

I buy cider apples which are big bins of 2nds (apples with scars or mis-shaped in some way) but even their 1sts are still cheaper or no more expensive than the local grocery stores.

[RZehr]

Many roadside fruit and vegetable stands out here are resellers. They are buying it from farms or grocery stores or distributors, and just reselling it.

[QuietlyListening]

Many roadside fruit and vegetable stands out here are resellers. They are buying it from farms or grocery stores or distributors, and just reselling it.

We have that same thing as said above
We also live close to the ocean- a large resort town- so produce sold in stands on the highway leading there is priced to sell to tourists not the locals. We also have many stands with local produce that are not on the main road and prices are better than grocery stores and produce is better too.

[Josh]

The actual roadside farmstands that are selling their own produce are rare, but have good prices. These are extremely rare. Most the places growing produce around here don't sell to the public. The U-Pick blueberries and strawberries places are fairly cheap.

A few "boutique" type of places sell maple syrup or something but sell at way higher than grocery store prices. They do a lot of social media or "influencer" based marketing and also attend "farmers' markets" in bigger cities.

Wealthier people in the cities seem to like spending a lot of money on things. A friend of mine's wife spends $12 per gallon on milk from a farm. We spend about $5. I asked what the difference was and she said 'they use organic grass'. We had an amusing discussion when her husband brought up what exactly 'organic grass' means.

[Soloist]

The actual roadside farmstands that are selling their own produce are rare, but have good prices. These are extremely rare. Most the places growing produce around here don't sell to the public. The U-Pick blueberries and strawberries places are fairly cheap.

A few "boutique" type of places sell maple syrup or something but sell at way higher than grocery store prices. They do a lot of social media or "influencer" based marketing and also attend "farmers' markets" in bigger cities.

Wealthier people in the cities seem to like spending a lot of money on things. A friend of mine's wife spends $12 per gallon on milk from a farm. We spend about $5. I asked what the difference was and she said 'they use organic grass'. We had an amusing discussion when her husband brought up what exactly 'organic grass' means.

Wife: our pick blueberries this year were all around four dollars a pound, which was horrifying compared to Oregon, although probably reasonable given the area. How much is it over there?

I think the craziest thing is the fancy coffee shops that sell Sams club baked goods for ridiculous prices.

[Soloist]

Around here the farm stands seem to have evolved into year-round businesses selling jams, candies, nuts, etc. as well as fresh fruit.

I have a big cider press that has been handed down and every year I drive out to Hood River OR to buy about 5-10 bushels of apples for our annual cider making party. I can get apples vastly cheaper that way than trying to buy them through any local grocery. This is my go-to place. They have a popular farm stand: https://kiyokawafamilyorchards.com/

I buy cider apples which are big bins of 2nds (apples with scars or mis-shaped in some way) but even their 1sts are still cheaper or no more expensive than the local grocery stores.

Wife: I miss all the Oregon apples. I remember as a church group one year going from house to house collecting apples from peoples trees that would otherwise go to waste and then putting them all together and making a ton of cider. There are so many apples on peoples properties going to waste, although some people do let gleaner groups go through and pick them.

[Ken]

Around here the farm stands seem to have evolved into year-round businesses selling jams, candies, nuts, etc. as well as fresh fruit.

I have a big cider press that has been handed down and every year I drive out to Hood River OR to buy about 5-10 bushels of apples for our annual cider making party. I can get apples vastly cheaper that way than trying to buy them through any local grocery. This is my go-to place. They have a popular farm stand: https://kiyokawafamilyorchards.com/

I buy cider apples which are big bins of 2nds (apples with scars or mis-shaped in some way) but even their 1sts are still cheaper or no more expensive than the local grocery stores.

Wife: I miss all the Oregon apples. I remember as a church group one year going from house to house collecting apples from peoples trees that would otherwise go to waste and then putting them all together and making a ton of cider. There are so many apples on peoples properties going to waste, although some people do let gleaner groups go through and pick them.

Hood River has absolutely amazing apples. They have a whole "fruit loop" which is a scenic fall drive past all the fruit orchards, fruit sands, and vineyards. My wife and I do it every fall.

When I was a kid my dad would drag us along to pick apples in abandoned orchards like you describe. I hated it. Felt like we were poor gypsies or some such and I dreaded having someone I knew drive by to see us. Where I grew up in the semi-rural suburbs north of Eugene there were lots of newer subdivisions going in around old fruit orchards and lots of vacant lots with old mature fruit trees still standing. So lots of abandoned apple trees like you describe on vacant lands waiting to be developed.

[Soloist]

Around here the farm stands seem to have evolved into year-round businesses selling jams, candies, nuts, etc. as well as fresh fruit.

I have a big cider press that has been handed down and every year I drive out to Hood River OR to buy about 5-10 bushels of apples for our annual cider making party. I can get apples vastly cheaper that way than trying to buy them through any local grocery. This is my go-to place. They have a popular farm stand: https://kiyokawafamilyorchards.com/

I buy cider apples which are big bins of 2nds (apples with scars or mis-shaped in some way) but even their 1sts are still cheaper or no more expensive than the local grocery stores.

Wife: I miss all the Oregon apples. I remember as a church group one year going from house to house collecting apples from peoples trees that would otherwise go to waste and then putting them all together and making a ton of cider. There are so many apples on peoples properties going to waste, although some people do let gleaner groups go through and pick them.

When I was a kid my dad would drag us along to pick apples in abandoned orchards like you describe. I hated it. Felt like we were poor gypsies or some such and I dreaded having someone I knew drive by to see us.

Wife: Meanwhile, my children are grouching at me that I don’t dumpster dive like all their friends do. Peer pressure is strange sometimes.