Food Prices, Shortages & Inflation - The Trash Index

[Pirtykitty]

we aren't going to the farmers market as much this year either.. Their prices are as high or higher than the grocery store and we suspect that the produce is trucked in instead of grown locally..

I did get a quart bag of blue berries a couple of weeks ago at a road side stand for 5.00. and a bag of peaches for 10.00 the peaches were grown in their orchard..

 

[R2D2]

Local farmers markets prices are off the charts..! It seems they are more foo foo, fancy priced markets now.They have so many people visiting, i guess they sell enough to be worth the while.I look now and then, nice stuff they have, but way to expensive.! I can get most of the stuff they have, i'd be interested in much cheaper from other local sources and bartering.It's fun to check out though and chat with people.

 

[bambi]

This has been my experience the last few years shopping @ farmers market in Springfield,Mo. way to expensive for what you get. Now, there was a time when not so many people would visit the farmers market here and you had farmers that came to sell there extra produce and it was very cheap you would ask for a few dozen ears of corn and they would throw in several more ears just because you might get a ear that had been eaten by worms. I would take the corn home pull the worm out,cut around where the worm and no problem but now it cost a fortune and no more little worms which tells me they are loaded with insecticide. Our farmers market now are catering to the Martha Steward wantabe and I think this has really driven the prices up here as well.

 

[CrimsonRose]

Our farmers market now are catering to the Martha Steward wantabe and I think this has really driven the prices up here as well.

yep it's now the "in" thing to go to farmers markets and they are OUTRAGEOUS! We went earlier this year to try and find some nice strawberries at a good deal so I can make syrups and jams... and they were $4 per pint!!! we went to aldi's (yes they are not local) there the strawberries were $1.50 a lb (about 2 pints!) so I got at aldi's the same amount of strawberries for a $1.50 that would have cost me $8 to help support my local farmer... and since I needed about 40 pints... ummm that $320 could have bought a whole lot of jam and syrups! Sorry farmer the $30 bill at aldi's got my money this year...

I did get a few good deals at the Mennonite produce auction though... but you have to buy in major bulk! so I only go a few times a year to get a good bit to freeze and can... There I got 12 pints of cherries ($12), 10 cantaloups ($2.50), 60 bell peppers ($5), 50lbs of tomatoes ($15) , and 264 ears of corn ($46.50). all for $81 bucks!

 

[hoosier]

CR - great haul!

 

[savingdogs]

Our Farmer's Markets have been very expensive in this area for awhile. Too close to Portland I guess. If you want deals around here, you go to the roadside stands, not the farmer's markets. While there are some deals to be had, I've seen things such as fresh eggs selling for nine dollars a dozen a couple years ago. I haven't been back lately, but they are just too trendy and cool in my neck of the woods, people go and make a fun day outing and buy and eat expensive unusual veggies and stuff, not so much deals from local farmers.

 

[k0xxx]

... While there are some deals to be had, I've seen things such as fresh eggs selling for nine dollars a dozen a couple years ago. ...

Wow! Am I in the wrong area! I can't hardly find anyone to buy mine for $1.50 a dozen.

 

[savingdogs]

... While there are some deals to be had, I've seen things such as fresh eggs selling for nine dollars a dozen a couple years ago. ...

Wow! Am I in the wrong area! I can't hardly find anyone to buy mine for $1.50 a dozen.

You can find them here for $1.50 a dozen too (more commonly two) but at the Farmer's Markets they are expensive. I saw that and wanted to own chickens, believe me! But my own eggs I sell for basically 25 cents apiece, that is more the going rate here.

 

[abifae]

$5-6/dozen here is average.

 

[animalfarm]

Wow, I find this a hard discussion to read. I can see both points of view, but I am a farmer, and I find it difficult to swallow that I must starve in order for others to have a good deal. That being said, I don't believe in gouging but I won't give it away either.

There have been many threads about buying local, but it is getting next to impossible; some companies are pretending to being local but if you read the fine print, they are merely exporting from China while giving a local company name on the box. The more this applies to food, the more likely that local fresh food will become higher priced and by supporting imports and insisting on paying less then the cost to produce, the consumer is eroding the local farmers ability to stay afloat and put food on any ones table. Not a problem till the supply line to wallyworld gets cut off and then what will be the price to pay?

I have beef, chicken, eggs, pork and veggies for sale, but I am constantly expected to accept the prices from 20 years ago; not going to happen. My dog is eating rather well these days as I won't cater to that mentality. It is taking a while, but I am slowly putting together a customer base that values what I have to offer and doesn't resent me having enough money to buy some new chore clothes once in a while and not going in the hole to feed the animals they expect to eat.