Today’s Dupont farmers’ market settled a long-running debate I’ve been having with myself, namely whether it is better to go early (less crowds, my pick of the produce) or late (end-of-market pricing). Going late is the clear winner. Today I was there at 12:45, only 15 minutes before the market closes, and got half-priced raspberries and peaches. They are ripe and ready to eat, so the vendors were pushing to sell them before the market closed. Also, the vendors frequently replenish the produce and other goods from their trucks, so it isn’t true that arriving early gives you your pick of the best stuff.
This end-of-market pricing may be more prevalent in the summer, though, as fall/winter produce like kale and butternut squash tends to keep longer. I’ll test this in the coming months. As for today, here was my take:
Spelt bread from Atwaters
Peaches and string beans from Spring Valley Orchard Farm
Blackberries from Black Rock Orchard
