Topic: Rhubarb £4!!!

[silly billy]

OH went to the farmers market in Guildford and 4 seperate stalls were charging £4 for 6 stalks of rhubarb!!!

[PurpleHeather]

If you must shop for rhubarb in a farmer's market in Guildford you deserve what you get.

It is after all a laxative.

[betula]

Yes I think the farmers markets are very expensive.

[OllieC]

I was at the same market. Fresh Kent Asparagus, 2lb for £4 which I thought was good for the start of the season (Plus it was delicious served last night with Fillet Steak from the same market and grown in a herd that I've met and home made chips with localish spuds).

I generally get veg from the people down near the bottom of the street, they clearly work bloody hard, doing their own thing, and personally I think their prices are very reasonable.

The rhubarb does seem rather expensive, would people prefer supermarket prices?

[Stevens706]

Anyone in Guildford want to buy some and rhubarb only £3 for 6 stalks ??? ;D ;D

[Fork]

I noticed it for sale this morning for £1:98 for three sticks  :o

I give most of mine away!!

[betula]

It is a pity you can not sell surplus from the allotment,say at the allotment shop,maybe half the money going to the site ,half to the grower.

If the public were allowed to buy this produce for a reasonable price,many low income people could get the chance to buy really fresh veg without being ripped off.

Nobody with a low income could afford to shop at farmers markets.Maybe the odd thing.I have been to enough of them to see the prices,and rhubarb has never been hard work has it.

I like to go to the farmers market to look at the plant stalls and maybe be tempted to eat an ostrich roll. :)

[silly billy]

Thats a great idea which could generate some much needed funds for the whloe site. We have a table that plot holders can put their excess produce on and people can help themselves.

[cleo]

I`m going to put mine out tomorrow-I thought around 80p for a kg(or thereabouts but no less)

But those who know me know I`m cheap ;D-

[Robert_Brenchley]

I noticed yesterday that my rhubarb is wilting in the sun. I've never seen that before. A couple of clumps drowned in the waterlogging last year; the roots elsewhere could be damaged as well, from the look of it.

[Gazfoz]

I thought about selling some surplus but then people would probably expect you to give it away when they find out you have an allotment and aren't paying for it ??? ::)

[Robert_Brenchley]

You are paying for the plot, and putting in a lot of time as well. Why shouldn't you charge something? We've got a 19th century diary from my site, detailing what the guy sold his veg for.

[Gazfoz]

No Robert,

I meant that people don't tend to want to support your enterprise and hardwork generally, they want summat for nowt ;)

[PurpleHeather]

There is no reason why, at the entry to your allotment site where the public can see it, you should not leave a notice to say that you have fresh fruit/ veg available.

My belief is that you should never seek permission, you should always be prepared to apologise.

Decent people are too shy. A number of locals would love the odd fresh bit of fruit of veg. Likewise, you would not want to waste it.

Do not be greedy. We all go shopping and know what the supermarkets charge. If some one wants to buy your surplus then quote half current supermarket price. Be prepared to explain that you do have to buy certain things. You only want to make enough to buy next years seeds (or what-ever).

I know one or two people only too happy to offer something in return. One lady keeps me supplied with home made marmalade in exchange for odds and ends of surplus. My friend makes chutneys and jams from produce and exchanges them.

Good luck but be firm.

[littlebabybird]

i wish someone at our lotty would sell me some rhubarb

[Rhubarb Thrasher]

our greengrocer is selling blackberries at £6 a pound. Seems a lot - but they have come all the way from Peru (or Chile, I forget which)

[Fork]

On the subject of selling.There are many allotment sites around the country who have very strict rules about selling produce........and on most of them its a definate NO!

I used to sell the surplus veg at work.It wasnt my surplus,it was another chaps.This annoyed quite a few people but only one opened his mouth.He said,"if you are selling your veg you must pay more for your water"!!

[philandjan]

Blimey, Charlie!

We've already harvested over 10lbs of sweet succulent rhubarb (think that it's called "cherry" - thin dark red sticks) and have only just started.

A friend was digging his rhubarb plant up a couple of years ago (it had been there for at least 40 years) and he offered it to us. We split it into 15 different plants and they are all thriving!

[Gazfoz]

our greengrocer is selling blackberries at £6 a pound. Seems a lot - but they have come all the way from Peru (or Chile, I forget which)

Yes but is he actually selling any!