I love summer in Pennsylvania. I really love walking into the grocery stores and seeing lists of “locally grown” produce. Especially when they tell me WHERE it has been grown. The perk to this is that usually it is marked at a better price. It’s a “sale” item or just cheaper since it wasn’t shipped from Timbuktu or who knows where. However, there are so many more ways to save a few dollars on produce.
Now, even better, if you are lucky enough to live near a Farm Market or Grower’s Market, farm stand or orchard, don’t stop. Go now. Not only is it usually* local, fresh, and cheaper, you also get to meet the grower and ask any questions you might have. When you do this, shop around. I make it a habit to walk through a whole market, taking note of prices and quality before I buy. Different stands have different products, prices, and quality. If it’s a farm/grower’s market, don’t be afraid to ask if they have discounts for bulk. Last year I was able to get tomato “seconds” for $10 per half bushel. There was nothing wrong with them – they were just smaller or misshaped. I was also able to get bushels of peaches for $20, substantially cheaper than grocery store sales and I was able to freeze them for pies and smoothies. Nothing like a “fresh” peach pie in the middle of winter. Don’t know how? Google is my best friend.
Another thing you can do, even if you live in an apartment, is grow herbs in your window. Instead of paying an arm and a leg for that wilty little stalk of something, you can go to your window and pick it fresh.
Thoughts for next year – If you have any outdoor space you can add a few tomato plants or peppers, lettuce, anything small, into your flower garden. Design it so it looks beautiful. No ground space? Plant a few things in large pots. Make sure you plant them appropriately. Tomatoes in an itty bitty pot won’t grow or produce anything. My favorite “no space” plant is grape/cherry tomatoes. The 1,000 cherry tomato plants yield so much fruit and take up so little room if you tie them up well. Plus two plants are more than enough to give you plenty of tomatoes for summer, saving you so much on those pretty little gems.
Where do you buy your produce?Do you grow your own? What tips do you have for us? Things that worked, things that didn’t?
*There are exceptions. If you see any of those places selling lemons or other non-local fruits and veggies, ask before you buy. Produce might not be so local.)
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