I went to the Santa Monica farmer’s market on Main Street last weekend for the first time in months and I couldn’t believe how outrageous the prices were. I paid $16 for:
4 tangelos ($3)
4 carrots ($1.50)
4 yellow onions ($1.50)
3 red onions ($1.50)
1 bunch arugula ($3)
1 dozen brussels sprouts ($2)
1 small baguette ($1)
4 small organic apples ($2.50)
The quality was high for everything but the carrots, which had soft tips the next day. But I don’t believe that quality alone accounts for these high prices (and only the apples were organic). At an ethnic grocery I could have gotten these veggies for about $6. So what am I paying the extra $10 for?
Selection of exotic dates, chocolates and cheeses that I will never buy ($1.25)
Live music that 3-year-olds like to dance to ($3.75)
Beautiful people watching ($2.50 – I once saw Helen Hunt with her Hubby and kid)
Chance to give my non-existent kid a pony ride ($2)
Pleasant crowds that let me believe, for a few minutes, that not everybody in LA drives everywhere ($.50)
I am happy to pay for the crowds, which remind me of the hustle and bustle of New York City, and I will admit that I like the music and I like watching silly 3-year-olds dance. But in my perfect world I’d get all this and much lower prices. Perhaps next time I should just linger without buying anything. Does that make me cheap and creepy – or just cheap?
Welcome to Bargain Babe! I’m Mara, and I’m so glad you’re here. I am an obsessive bargain hunter and penny pincher, and I am determined to live a full life without EVER paying full price. 
Even if the local farmers are not officially certified organic (probably because it costs too much money for certification), they often don’t use pesticides. All the vendors in my local farmer’s market are pesticide-free; you might want to ask the vendors in your market about that. If that is important to you, then it’s probably worth paying extra for.
Sorry, but did you really buy this stuff? I can walk away from overpriced goods & thought you could too. I appreciate the alert, but I’ll stick with my ethnic markets where I get good value for my $.
I did! I am embarrassed to admit it, but everyone slips up once and a while. I think what got to me was that I had forgotten what the prices were like, and after shopping at ethnic grocers and the 99 Cent Store, my idea of what a “good price” for produce shifted down. I’m going to try another local farmer’s market that I’m told is a bit more humble in hopes their prices are better.
We love to go to the farmers market on Laurel Canyon just to grab a quick inexpensive lunch. We share a bacon wrapped hotdog with grilled onions and maybe a corn on the cob. We always bring a bottle of water with us so we don’t have to buy a drink. It’s a good way to see if the fruits and veggies taste as good as they look (sometimes that is not the case) before you buy. At a regular market you can’t always do that, unless you happen to find the produce guy, then they will usually let you try before you buy. At least Pavillions does.
Really have to comparison shop at the different booths to get the best value at Farmer’s Markets. And many lately don’t want to give deals or budge on the price. You pay for the organic. Best things – atmosphere, free samples.
If you want good fresh produce at very low prices go to Michaels Produce on Roscoe Avenue just below Valley Circle in West Hills.
While I agree that you might have paid a bit more for these items than if you had purchased them at a grocery store, the money you spent is going toward helping a local farmer, who often need to charge a bit more to make ends meet.
It’s a give and take, i suppose. I buy my fruits and veggies from a CSA, which is costing me $25/week. While this might be more than I would typically spend on such items, I like knowing where my fruits and veggies are coming from and that they are fresh, not covered in pesticides, not traveling long distances, etc.
Frugal? Not necessarily. Helping out the environment a bit? Definitely.
This evening is the opening of the Northridge Farmers Market at the Northridge Mall. I will be interested in seeing how the prices are this year.
When I worked in Long Beach there was a Farmers Market on Fridays. There was one vendor who sold organic produce, and they were always price competitive with many of the vendors, and for things like strawberries (one of the most chemical laden fruits if not organic) I will only buy organic, even if it means going without. They had great strawberries, and I’d often buy extra and take them back to the office to share.
Sorry I can’t remember their name, but I think they’re also at the Sunday am Hollywood (on Ivar) market.
I think the Santa Monica market pays the price for being famous and having all the local chefs shop there. Like others, I get most of my produce from local ethnic markets. Around St Patrick’s Day, there were specials of 4# to 7# for a dollar, compared with Von’s, which was 99cts a lb…
You’re also paying for the environmental benefits of produce that wasn’t grown a half a world away and shipped here using enormous amounts of fossil fuels. Remember, money isn’t everything.
Check out some of the smaller local farmers markets and you may be pleasantly surprised. (I personally enjoy the Bubank Farmers Market on Saturday mornings). You should always check the different vendors to see who has the best price on the items you want. Get to know your farmers and vendors!! I love to be able to see and taste what is fresh and in season each week. I also value being able to support our local farmers, reduce my carbon footprint (by not getting produce from Chile and Mexcio) at the same time I get some fresh air and wonderfully tasty goodies for the week ahead!
Santa Monica’s farmers markets have long been the most expensive, mainly because of the typical clientele that comes by (e.g. celebs, chefs). Overall, though, you will pay more at a farmer’s market, although if you’re a regular shopper, and develop a relationship with the farmer, you can get some discounts.
What ethnic markets do you recommend? I have never shopped in one but have been curious.
That Victory Garden is sounding more and more like a good idea. But in this era of everyone being willing to pay a lot for convenience, the Farmer’s Markets are going to get away with charging top prices. Not that many people are willing to take the time and effort to grow their own. P.S. Roadside stands in California’s Central Valley are usually a bargain.
I was disappointed to hear that unorganic strawberries are so toxin-loaded. I hear that this year is a bumper crop and we’ve been buying lots of them. I guess it’s time to do more research.
The Montrose Farmer’s Market is every Sunday from 9 am to 2 pm. Free parking is available in a big lot north of Honolulu Ave. – around the corner from the main shopping area.
I usually shop the Saturday farmers’ market in Calabasas. While the prices are slightly higher on some items (most are the same prices as the supermarket and some are lower), everything is organic or pesticide free. The farmers are from the San Joaquin and Coachella valleys, so the food isn’t traveling far. It is picked riper than is possible for the supermarkets; the taste is far superior. I’ve also found the shelf life is significantly better. Since I shop with the same farmers each week, we’ve become acquainted and they give me discounts for being a loyal and regular customer. I consider the farmers’ market a bargain in every way.
In some ways I would say its pricey and some ways its not. Not only paying for the product you are paying that farmers wage. You contributed 6 bucks for food grown locally keep dollars in your county. If you ate all of it right then and there you would be getting more bang for your buck than lets say if you went to fast food drive through and bought lunch, and your body will feel better as well. Pocket the other 10 bucks and call it a day.
Super King in Altadena (corner of Lincoln and Woodbury) has fantastic, inexpensive produce. I think there is a Super King in Eagle Rock too but I haven’t been there.
Also, Bargain Babe, The 99 Cent Chef would be a nice addition to your “Frugal Living” links. http://the99centchef.blogspot.com
Thanks for the suggestions. I just added the 99 Cent Chef to my blogroll!
I, too, am surprised you stayed and paid rather than walked out. Also, organic schmorganic. We subscribe to health publications such as one from Johns Hopkins and the Berkeley Wellness Letter. Each has had articles on the fiction of organic produce.