Tuesday morning, I went to pick pears again. I could only stand to pick a little over a gallon! I am still aching and exhausted from the last picking adventure! I still hurt. Score!
Today, I left about 1 pm to go to the market that closes at 2 pm. Very few people were there. Thinking they left early, I was sad. However, only a third of the booths were ever manned today.
One guy peeled a slice of pear and handed it to me. Since I hate fresh pears, it was all I could do to swallow it with the texture.....yuck. He had a pile of cores where he had given samples, so I asked him if I could have it for my chicken. He loaded up about ten pounds of bruised apples that he could not sell because of little rotten spots. Ha! I will take care of those tonight and give the chickens the rest. Score!
Last week, I bought new potatoes from him. They are the best potatoes ever. Today a basket was $5. I had a $6 coupon and asked him to give me a dollars' worth of apples. He dumped a whole basket of apples into the potatoes! Score!
A woman had the most beautiful large peaches, so I got a $6 basket of those. I do believe there were only six peaches. Well, there will be no more fresh local peaches after a few weeks. Yes, only six peaches, $1 each.
The only way I can afford all this good produce is the coupons given to people over 60 who are low income. I signed up for exbf, too, but he barely qualified. He gave me his to spend. I felt bad about his giving them to me. But, I do give him things, including produce, to eat. He gives me much more than I give him! This is $30 for each person for the season. Score!
This is not $30 each month! It is just once each year. If you live in Alabama, you can find out about the program at a senior center.
That is free pears, free bruised apples, free apples, plus the potatoes and peaches I bought.
Lots of the summer crops are done and the farmers are waiting for other crops to come in. I really wanted tomatoes, but will have to get there earlier, I suppose.
Your turn
What have you gotten this week or lately at your market? Any free fruit or vegetables in your life?
Those bruised apples are perfect for making applesauce, you can can it or freeze it.
ReplyDeleteCTMOM,
DeleteI plan to can it, but it may not make it to the canner...since I am going to love this.
Don't feel bad about using his coupons. You give him regular meals and look how much produce might have been wasted. Good thrifty work,Linda.
ReplyDeleteSAM,
DeleteI objected then he said he could not walk in the market. Yes, he does enjoy those foods here and taken home.
I'm with SAM on this one. You do a lot for him.
DeleteThat sounds like a great program. We don't have anything like it here.
sonya Ann,
DeleteHe does lots for me, too. I would not have a washing machine if not for him.
We have a once a month food giveaway by the Salvation Army. It is all donated food and I hate to say it, some is just bad. But you take what they give you and dont complain. Lovely people all volunteers. Some good food and some junk food. For instance a bag filled with individual packages of doritos. Carrots, beets and corn. This is when I wished I still had chickens.
ReplyDeletecarol,
DeleteI wonder why they think people would be grateful to get bad stuff. I have a friend who describes the produce he is given in a different city. I wish my chickens had some of the stuff he brings home.
Locally the Farmer's Markets are taking SNAP cards and then you get a $20 coupon to use there too. Just hope that everyone, that have SNAP cards, takes advantage, especially the younger people.
ReplyDeleteTom,
DeleteThat's great. I don't think this market does that. It would be good for people. I wonder if the young ones would know what to do with some of it.
No free fruit or vegies here. The farmers' markets are usually similar prices to the shops, but sooooo much fresher. And tastier.
ReplyDeleteEC,
DeleteToo bad about no freefruit. I just got lucky with the free stuff at the market. There were exactly six peaches for $6. They are so good!
We're anxiously waiting for peaches. Our neighbors have two trees that hang over in our yard and they were loaded two years ago then none at all last year because of the drought. This year beautiful and loaded! Should be ripe in a few weeks. He has given us permission to come over into his yard and help ourselves as his wife is in a wheel chair and can't do anything with them. I think some peach goodies are in the works to give back to them for their kindness.
ReplyDeleteMy little garden is plugging away. Bits and pieces help stretch the food budget. Finally got Rhubarb to grow after first planting last year. It's so hard to get around here in Nevada. All our veggies seem to come from Calif. and farmers market is too high priced for most of them.
Take care.
Crystal,
DeleteYour situation sounds perfect except for her being in a wheelchair. I bet she would love a peach pie and peaches for this winter.
Rhubarb is the ultimate thing I want to grow. You are right about gardens helping with the food budget.
Great score on the apples. I picked some blackberries to make jam in the fall (froze for now). Need to go back and get some more. I got all scratched up, need to be better prepared the next time I go.
ReplyDeleteCheapchick,
DeleteBlackberries are one of my favorites. It will be cooler in the fall to make jam. I wonder if they are all gone now? We dressed in long sleeves,long pants, and socks and shoes when we picked them as a child. Do you ever get chiggers?