Downtown Farmers’ Market

(Community Matters) Cameron and I shopped the Farmers’ Market today. I took copious notes on prices and plan to comparison shop at Wheatsville, Central Market and Whole Foods. I’ll follow up this posting with the results


In response to last week’s posting concerned about prices, my friend Katie from Tecolote Farm replied.

As a local organic grower who sells at both Saturday markets, I can answer Brooke’s question that our prices are the same at both markets, first of all. Secondly, we sell our tomatoes to Wheatsville, and their retail price to customers is almost half a dollar more than our market price for customers. Wheatsville has the lowest markup of any local retail store because they abide by cooperative philosophy. We love that about them, that customers can pay only a little more than market prices. I can’t speak to the melons and onions pricing since we don’t sell those to Wheatsville. There must have been some confusion in the comparison of our market prices to W’ville’s prices because they have never sold our tomatoes for less than we do. Not sure where the confusion came in. As far as our price on tomatoes goes, I would be happy to discuss with anyone the work that goes into growing organic tomatoes in central Texas and discuss the fairness of our pricing. Much of that cost reflects the fair wages we pay to our laborers. Low prices on produce in general equate to someone earning a less than fair wage. Respectfully, Katie Kraemer, Tecolote Farm

Another reader wrote:

It seems that the best comparison would be with other farmers markets… has anyone had the same experience at Sunset Valley or other area markets?

While shopping today, realized I need to be mindful of the difference between organics, sustainables and natural, no chemicals.

I’ll try to post my comparison shopping results this week. Katie’s comment is informative.