Veggie Run

 I was able to become part of a group of women who meet once a fortnight to go to the wholesale fruit and vegetable market to get goods cheap. This is the produce that is offered commercially and then at the end of the market day it opens to the public for an hour two days a week. The quantities are large and so it works perfectly to have 8-10 people who want to participate. So we all chip in 30 bucks and then two people go to the markets and the others stay back at the ladies house who lives closest and watches all the children.

 I actually share a "basket" with another girl because one basket is far too much produce for our family.

 The market is crazy and chaotic. There are small business owners and other groups like ours and who knows who else, it always packed to the max! You cant really haggle prices too much and you run the risk of others snatching up the good stuff if you keep moving on and wait to check all prices and come back. But you ahve to watch out for the produce guys trying to sell you stuff that may be past its prime. But usually its all a good catch and we leave happy.

Above is a closer look at one of the stalls. Huge boxes of produce with prices in chalk on the concrete. As the market comes to a close, you will see the prices get smeared out and reduced and stall holders yelling out their take it or leave it deals. Sometimes we have even had guys throw in free boxes of potatoes and such to just get rid of it. Usually that is the stuff that will need to be used up right away or have the lot is bad but you cant complain with free.

 Now the above and below pic are two baskets worth-$60 dollars. There is no way you could buy all that for any amount even close to that here. So while sometimes I still run to the shops to get something I want for a specific recipe or for more fruit or something, we are often are good to go. even with half a basket I find that I can usually give some to our neighbors because its more carrots than I know we can get through or whatever, they usually get a small grocery bag full that is worth my 15 bucks I put in my share.

Honestly my half basket fills an entire laundry basket. It ridiculously awesome!