Cheap Fruit – Cut Out the Middle Man
August 14, 2010 by Katelyn
Filed under Frugal Mom
I spent $18 on fruit today. You’re thinking, “And you really think that is thrifty?” Ah, but I got a half bushel of beautiful peaches and a half bushel of apples just off the tree for that $18. To put it in perspective, I would be able to get a bag with about 10 apples in it for $4 from the grocery store. My $10 bag has 45 apples in it. (I could have fit another 10 apples in if I was trying to cram it full, but I was more concerned with keeping them from getting bruised.) So, the apples would have cost me $18 in the store and the ones on the bottom of the value bags always look awful. I was able to pick each of mine individually and they were all beautiful and unblemished. I guess they were seconds because of their size or shape. I didn’t count my peaches, but I filled both the crisper drawers in my fridge with them, so there were quite a few of them. The same exact peaches are for sale as local peaches at my grocery store for $2 a pound. I have a lot more than four pounds of peaches sitting in my fridge and I only spent $8.
Photo: SXC
So, how did I cut out the middle man? A few years ago, we drove by an orchard packing house, saw some of the workers taking a lunch break and asked whether they sold peaches at the orchard. Next thing we knew, we were inside filling up a box of seconds that were nicer than firsts that have been jostled around in trucks and handled by produce managers, other shoppers, etc. If you have an orchard packing house near you, it might be worth your while to check to see if they sell seconds direct to customers.
Oh, and if I had a bit more free time, I could save even more. I found out today that I could pick a half bushel of peaches off the ground for $6. A lady who has done it before says they’re usually dead ripe so you have to preserve them right away or eat a ton of peaches in two days, though! (Apparently, orchards have their crews drop peaches that are actually ripe on the ground as they pick because they won’t last long enough for shipping??)
Now if I could just find a local orchard that grew organic fruit, I’d be even happier.
Nothing beats fresh peaches, we now have to get 1 small bag every week. They either have them in a tiny basket with 4 or a bag with about 9 so I go bigger. Now that I have the dehydrator I’m wondering if I can do that with peaches and if so what I’d use them for. I also heard you can slice peaches up and freeze them and later use them in smoothies, yes I’m thinking of doing that with at least one batch next week. I say $18 is a good price, especially if it straight from the farmers. Course after reading this I’m definitely going to see if I can’t find an orchard.
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