[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by momnh

p.s. Now if we get a Trader Joe's ever....then I'll be running in circles and jumping in joy!! In NH, we shop at the one in Nashua and load a deep freezer 1x per month. I love it, and the prices are amazing! They also pay very high and have good jobs.

Isn't the Trader Joe's there just over the border in MA?

[momnh]

Yeah, Tyngsboro, technically. I just think of it as Nashua since it is right on the line and that's the way I get to it.

[OhBeeHave]

Originally Posted by History Rules

Whole foods is off the charts expensive. Wild Oats out of Colorado was much better, but Whole foods bought it out because they want a monopoly so they can charge usurious rates.

They don't call it "Whole Paycheck" for nothing....

I would love to see a Trader Joes in VT!

[History Rules]

Originally Posted by OhBeeHave

They don't call it "Whole Paycheck" for nothing....

I would love to see a Trader Joes in VT!

I've never figured out why a bag of potato chips that are made of potato and salt is $3.00 but a bag that has potato, salt and six other ingredients cost 99 cents. There is definately a "whole" lot of markup going on.

[Hatless Wonder]

Originally Posted by Adream

That's great ~ I've often wondered why Whole Foods isn't in Vermont. Target, too. And a Trader Joes would be fantastic.

There's a Target in Plattsburgh, though that's a long drive for paper towels.

Burlington has enough upscale natural food shops. Healthy Living is called "Wealthy Living" for the same reason Whole Foods is called "Whole Paycheck."

I'd love to see a Trader Joe's in Burlington. I'd also like to see a Family Dollar (the nearest one is in St. Albans) and a Market Basket. Hey, the area has a lot of struggling people, and the South Burlington K-Mart is depressing.

[quickdraw]

Ya know, I really want to support local Vermont food suppliers, but I just can't afford it. I went to the Burlington Farmers Market and bought three medium onions, not large, for three dollars. Granted the season has been terrible, and only two or three venders even had onions, but a dollar for a medium onion? Sorry, I can't afford that. We got just as bad a deal on tomatoes.

Something's wrong. I'm paying ridiculous prices and I have a feeling the farmers aren't getting rich either. From what I understand, a stall at the Burlington Farmers market is expensive. I suspect Whole Foods will be just as bad, too much money going to the middle man.

There's a little stand in either Winooski or Colchester. They grow their own vegetables and flowers. They can not be considered organic, owner told me why but I don't remember, but they are close. I plan on going here more often as they are substantially cheaper than Burlington Farmers Market.

Go to the markets in Montreal, nobody is paying a dollar for one medium onion. Something has to give here, I can't pay eight dollars for a tiny piece of Vermont cheese. I went to Wealthy (Healthy) Living the other day to get a salad for an appetizer, something similar to cole slaw with a few different ingredients, and tiny containers were 6 to 8 dollars. I just walked out.

[Sherylcatmom]

Originally Posted by quickdraw

There's a little stand in either Winooski or Colchester. They grow their own vegetables and flowers. They can not be considered organic, owner told me why but I don't remember, but they are close. I plan on going here more often as they are substantially cheaper than Burlington Farmers Market..

We buy our weekly farm share from a local farm that is organic in that they use no chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides. They're not technically organic because they have not jumped through the expensive regulatory hoops to become certified organic.

We trust this family and their produce. We don't care if the government has approved of them or not.

[Adream]

Originally Posted by quickdraw

Ya know, I really want to support local Vermont food suppliers, but I just can't afford it. I went to the Burlington Farmers Market and bought three medium onions, not large, for three dollars. Granted the season has been terrible, and only two or three venders even had onions, but a dollar for a medium onion? Sorry, I can't afford that. We got just as bad a deal on tomatoes.

Something's wrong. I'm paying ridiculous prices and I have a feeling the farmers aren't getting rich either. From what I understand, a stall at the Burlington Farmers market is expensive. I suspect Whole Foods will be just as bad, too much money going to the middle man.

We went to the Thursday farmers market in Waterbury last week ~ bought 2 large, GORGEOUS heads of red leaf lettuce for $1.50 each. I was stunned; wish you could buy extra and freeze lettuce.

The following Sunday we went to the Stowe farmers market. Bought 2 small zucchini for $3.50. I should've handed it back to the gentleman with a "no thank you." From just a quick perusal, it seems the Stowe farmers market is tourist oriented, whereas Waterbury feels more low-key because it's in tune with locals. (Which I prefer.) But hey, if the tourists patronize the Stowe farmers market and pay; that's great, the farmers deserve it.

[Hatless Wonder]

I've noticed that too. Farmers are apparently getting record low prices for milk, yet dairy prices are sky-high. I've been to the Burlington farmer's market once, and I nearly fainted at some of the prices. Who can afford $9.95 a pound for pork? And before anyone asks how much I value my health, my landlord and Green Mountain Power don't accept health as payment. Someone is getting rich here, and I don't think it's the farmers.

[OhBeeHave]

Originally Posted by Hatless Wonder

I've noticed that too. Farmers are apparently getting record low prices for milk, yet dairy prices are sky-high. I've been to the Burlington farmer's market once, and I nearly fainted at some of the prices. Who can afford $9.95 a pound for pork? And before anyone asks how much I value my health, my landlord and Green Mountain Power don't accept health as payment. Someone is getting rich here, and I don't think it's the farmers.

I wonder whether the fact that the small farmer's price is impacted because he handles far less than the large commercial operations, and thus does not get the bulk rate on feed and such?