It’s farmers’ market season—that much-anticipated time of year when farmers emerge behind displays of flowers and heirloom vegetables, and customers flock to the market clutching their most colorful African baskets. As a former vegetable farmer, I have spent thousands of hours hawking produce at the farmers’ market.
And I can tell you that even the most well-intentioned customers commit some irritating farmers’ market faux pas. So for those of you who aspire to be more conscientious shoppers, I’m going to give you a gift: here are seven tips to avoid driving your farmer crazy this season.
You’re welcome.
1. Refrain From Squeezing or Inappropriate Touching
I know the farmers’ market is a sensual experience like no other, and that it seems like all of the strange and shiny vegetables are calling out for you to touch them—but it’s best to refrain from over-handling.
Do you really need to inspect every single bunch of kale to determine which one is a teensy bit bigger than the others? Is it really necessary to squeeze each obviously perfect heirloom tomato to test its ripeness? And let’s talk about this display of tender baby zucchini, the keyword here being tender. If you grab them too ferociously—like, say, those people who trample other people for the newest TV on Black Friday—your jagged little fingernails will literally filet them, and they will turn into sad little logs that no one wants to buy.
It’s also not okay to put your heavy reusable shopping bag (or your toddler) down on top of the market spread.
2. Don’t Haggle
Haggling is a quick way to crush your farmer’s soul. Your farmer works hard to produce the romanesco broccoli and heritage pork that you need for that Rachel Ray recipe. Depending on the week she’s had, your insensitive haggling will either make her a) spitting angry, or b) want to curl up in the fetal position underneath her market table.
Market prices are not made by throwing a dart at some imaginary jumble of numbers taped to the wall—they’re based on how much actual money it costs to grow food. So do your farmer a favor: choose your vegetable/cut of meat/dog bones/whatever you’re buying, and then take out your wallet and pay whatever it costs without making a counter-offer or saying something rude.
If you have ever haggled a with food producer over the price of something, repeat after me: I, (insert name here), local food enthusiast, will not undermine my farmer’s intelligence and hard work by complaining and/or challenging the cost of his/her products.