Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There. Said it. More expensive than Whole Foods and rarely better. Some exceptions, especially when apples are in season. But I'm just back from a prominent farmer's market in my city and spent a small fortune and I know it won't be better tasting than what I can get at Whole Foods this afternoon. No more.

how can you generalize? There are many amazing farmers markets and sometimes it’s beyond the actual item but knowing you are really helping support a genuine grower/farmer.

I could support them even better if local grocery stores bought a much larger amount, allowing more people to eat locally.

I’m with you, OP. I think farmer’s markets are elitist (even when they accept food stamps and otherwise try to get more low income people on board) and inaccessible (oh this market is only one day a week! and it’s a work day! and it’s only open for four hours! good luck!). A kind of mucky experience meant to appeal to people who want to pretend like they know their farmers and their “kiddos” are getting a “wholesome” experience where they can eat $14 “sandos” and think how great they are the whole entire time, only occasionally posting “pics” to “the gram” about how “precious these years are” and how we should all remember “to soak it all up.”

Big floppy hats, simpering people barely keeping a lid on their egos and bad music. No thanks.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love farmer's markets. Yes it's expensive but it's more the experience. Lots of people, dogs, children, cool new foods and music. I did used to overspend but I now check myself but I love meeting friends and family at the weekend farmer's markets mornings before it gets too hot.

Dogs are not allowed at the Olney farmers market.

They aren't allowed at Falls Church either.

They shouldn’t be at any. Way too many reactive animals who are absolutely miserable at these things and their owners don’t have a clue.

Anonymous wrote:I disagree. I find the vegetables to be markedly better than those at WF. I shop at Norman's.

Norman's is great.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love farmer's markets. Yes it's expensive but it's more the experience. Lots of people, dogs, children, cool new foods and music. I did used to overspend but I now check myself but I love meeting friends and family at the weekend farmer's markets mornings before it gets too hot.

Dogs are not allowed at the Olney farmers market.

They aren't allowed at Falls Church either.

Some things are better at the farmers market. In summer, tomatoes especially. Fresh herbs as well. But stuff like squash, zucchini- not much difference.

Anonymous wrote:OP here.

Looking back across the last few years, the one area where markets do win over Whole Foods are apples in the fall. There is no comparison. And when tomatoes are at their peak, tomatoes at the markets will beat Whole Foods tomatoes both in price and quality.

But for everything else I've just come to the conclusion you're paying a premium to feel better shopping at the market instead of Whole Foods.

you forgot peaches

I disagree. I find the vegetables to be markedly better than those at WF. I shop at Norman's.

Anonymous wrote:MOM’s has the best produce and a great variety in season. They source from Lancaster Farms in summer.

We don't have MOM's in my area of NOVA, but we do the Lancaster Farms CSA and it's amazing. Excellent produce quality. But honestly, I'm not even sure how it compares in price because we pay up front for the whole season and I've never done the math! We just love the quality and variety so much that it's worth it for us.

We used to live on Capitol Hill and Eastern market has so much produce there that is just shipped up from Florida and people assume it's "local".

Anonymous wrote:Farmers markets are also not "good for the environment," as many have been sold to the public. In fact, they tend to be very bad for the environment because instead of one huge truck shipping uniform produce, efficiently packed and transported, it's a bunch of small cars/trucks/pickups all hauling random crap from all over the place. Produce also tends to grow well in certain areas of the country with more efficient use of fertilizer, irrigation, and topsoil. Farmers markets encourage local farmers to try to grow produce that is not efficient for their area of the country. Stupid idea all around for stuck up white people to pretend "local organic help farmer" do gooder hippie crap

You need to try the Prozac farmer's market.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love farmer's markets. Yes it's expensive but it's more the experience. Lots of people, dogs, children, cool new foods and music. I did used to overspend but I now check myself but I love meeting friends and family at the weekend farmer's markets mornings before it gets too hot.

Pretentious.

How the heck is enjoying the farmer's market pretentious? Frankly your comment is obnoxious.

MOM’s has the best produce and a great variety in season. They source from Lancaster Farms in summer.

Farmers markets are more expensive but I can find better and often more variety of fruits and vegetables.

Also disagree that the environment is better off with a bunch of industrial farms 100s of miles away.

Agree Whole Foods is a better proposition for me as a consumer. And I’m from the PacNW where the same thing is true.

Farmers markets are also not "good for the environment," as many have been sold to the public. In fact, they tend to be very bad for the environment because instead of one huge truck shipping uniform produce, efficiently packed and transported, it's a bunch of small cars/trucks/pickups all hauling random crap from all over the place. Produce also tends to grow well in certain areas of the country with more efficient use of fertilizer, irrigation, and topsoil. Farmers markets encourage local farmers to try to grow produce that is not efficient for their area of the country. Stupid idea all around for stuck up white people to pretend "local organic help farmer" do gooder hippie crap

Anonymous wrote:What time do the open in your city?

Technically seven although people start shopping around 6:40sh. I'm usually there just after 7. I don't linger and leave in 20 minutes. The markets are clearly a social thing for many. But I only care about food and the social aspect usually accrues to retired boomers who once campaigned for Eugene McCarthy or young hipsters with their tattoos and piercings, not middle aged families like mine.