This is going to be a somewhat controversial discussion since farmer’s markets are wildly popular in the bay area. We all know the benefits- fresher, higher quality produce, no middle men, seasonal, low mileage, etc. We ourselves have been shopping weekly, rain or shine, at farmer markets for close to 20 years now, like literally buying 90+% all fruits and vegs from markets and know many farmers quite well.
But I have observed that pricing has become, very high in certain cases. Now I am not saying every farmer is expensive. Some are still selling at a reasonable rate. But there are a number of them who seem to be charge prices at a level that I’d consider not especially related to their costs but just what the market is willing to bear. Here are a few examples, most of which are from the Cal Ave farmer’s market in Palo Alto:
$6/ lb non-organic citrus of rather average quality. I can get outstanding cara cara oranges from Felipe’s in Sunnyvale at $0.99/ lb.
$3-4 for a tiny bunch of Asian veggies. I estimate each bunch is no heavier than 4oz. They are fresh, but quality is what I’d consider 50th percentile in that market.
$4-5 for an avocado.
Double digit per pound salads.
I am willing to pay for high quality produce and for all the benefits of FMs, but even I am rolling my eyes at some of the prices these days.
Now before you pile it on and tell me that grocery prices in general has gone up significantly, and especially eggs. Here’s a point of comparison. We almost never shop at Whole Foods. But compared to the farmer’s market pricing, Whole Paycheck seems almost ‘cheap’ in comparison. Of course, there are other question marks around provenance, corporate ethics, that can’t be compared. but I remember only a few years ago when Whole Paycheck wasn’t considered a ‘deal’ compared to the FMs.
(We don’t have a Rainbow/ Berkeley Bowl around us so that’s not an option.)
I think farmers’ markets all over the US have adjusted their prices up to whatever the market will bear and in many areas that is quite high.
30 years ago farmers’ markets were relatively rare and the prices at them were pretty reasonable. Now they are multiplying all over the US and the prices are steadily going up. As long as people are willing to pay more for “artisanal”/farm to table products, the prices will stay up and probably continue to rise.
I have to admit that I have cut my purchases at farmers markets a lot over the past 10 years. About all I get now are local cheeses.
Would the southern California wild fires damaging crop areas affect pricing in your area? The citrus crops took a hit, as did avocados. Or is most of the produce coming from the SFBA?
I’ve stopped buying at our local famers’ markets because of the ludicrous prices. I feel taken advantage of! I buy produce at Whole Foods and it’s fine.
Has Farmers Market prices ever been comparable to grocery store pricing?
In my experience, FM prices have always been at least 1.5x higher on average than even high-end grocery stores like Whole Foods, Nugget, or niche markets like the Sebastopol Community Market, Browns Valley or Sonoma Market.
I used to live in the DC metro area but spent time in western Virginia and eastern Maryland. 40 years ago the prices at farmers markets outside the DC metro area were considerably lower than grocery stores but the farmers “markets” were roadside sheds. The farmers markets in DC and Arlington were around the same as the grocery stores. I left for several years around 1987 and when I got back in 1990 what constituted a farmers market, and what the prices were, were starting to change. By 1994, to me, farmers markets in Arlington and Alexandria had gone kind of bougie, and the prices were going up faster than the prices in the grocery stores.
So in my mind farmers markets used to be cheaper than grocery stores, but that is based in large part on the reactions of my GF at the time to the prices.
But this was not the SFBA, so there is that.
Some increases or higher comparable prices might be due the cost of a rented space, or the perceived local market, i.e., Palo Alto and the SF Ferry Bldg can afford the higher prices.
I’ve seen the same vendors charge more at different locations and figured it was either the rent or perceived market, but that’s a guess if it’s real.
The Old Oakland FM still seems to be reasonable but I slow down in the winter months, so I’ll see if they stay lower soon.
Have you gone to Sigona’s? That would be a decent comparison.
Back in the day (like 30 years ago), Farmers Markets meant one of two things, if not both: (1) hyper local produce from local farmers and (2) low prices (like prices comparable to those roadside trucks selling “10lb bags of oranges for $5” type of low prices)
Nowadays, FMs have become gentrified where they are more often than not selling produce from “local” farms (not farmers, but farms ) from anywhere in the entire state, which in CA could mean hundreds of miles away AND selling random knick-nacks and prepared foods from food trucks and/or actual restaurants.
Most obvious examples are the FM at the Ferry Building, Santa Monica Farmers Market, and the San Diego FM in Little Italy.
Maybe next time I will casually ask the farmers whether the rent is higher at our market than others, if they work multiple markets. One lady works at both the Ferry Building on Saturdays, and our market on Sundays. I don’t know if she works somewhere else.
I’ll be very curious about their answers. If indeed the rent is high, I wonder where the money ultimately goes to- indirectly to the city?
I don’t go to Sigona’s to buy produce typically- having to schlep to the mall is a bit of a psychological barrier, for me.
If they have to come further for the more densely populated areas that have Farmers markets, couldn’t that factor into the price? Paying employees to make the journey and leaving very early in the morning?
Yeah, not a fan of malls, and going to one for produce is a little weird. I guess it’s not surprising there’s few indie produce markets given the retail rental market.
We had a few new ones over the years in the town, I think both were city-required grocery stores in new property development projects as part of the deal between the developers and the city. Before Grocery Outlet, it was another grocery store. Before Real Produce, it was I believe two other grocery stores.
All of them tried to be bougie, Whole Food-like, grocery stores. All failed miserably. The current stores are budget grocery stores.
Go to the original one in Redwood City - much better than their second location (and often better produce than on most FM (which I agree are often overpriced)
Not a farmers market but certainly higher at my CSA. Actually I think if it as less for the money.
I’ve subscribed to this CSA year round for 25+ years, and I never used to hesitate to get boxes every two weeks and experiment with what was on offer. I’m still a fan, love to support the farms in Capay Valley, and get my customized box more often than not, but I don’t hesitate to skip boxes from time to time.
The pasture raised eggs are now $10.99 a dozen. This was my last order
