Great deals on produce for me, and a giveaway for you!
Thanks for all your guesses! Comments are closed now. Scroll up to August 31 to see the actual cost and winner.
I often get my produce by the case downtown at the produce terminal. If you live near a big town, you might have this option too. If you know of one, I would love to hear from you so I can compile a list.
They are wholesalers, but willingly sell to anyone who is willing to buy case quantities. We get great deals there and enjoy the challenge of eating 25 lbs. of peaches, plums, apples, or tomatoes in one week. We're pretty good at it. Our friends will tell you we're big eaters.
When I don't want to buy full cases - or I don't make it downtown by the 2:00 closing time - I go across the street to their retail outlet, where they sell in more convenient quantities at slightly higher prices. I still think I get fantastic deals, and it pains me to pay retail prices for produce at a grocery store.
I went to the retail outlet today. Here's what I brought home:
- 15 lbs. of finger bananas, also called baby bananas. Very cute. I pounced on these as soon as I walked through the door. Not everything is this cheap.
- 2 extra large heads of cauliflower
- 3 heads of iceburg lettuce
- 3.5 lbs. of tomatoes
- 4 large cantaloupe
- 10 lbs. potatoes
- 1 bunch green onions
- 4 large cucumbers
- 3 green bell peppers
- 1 head Romaine lettuce
- 2 bunches of celery
- 3 nice fat heads of garlic. They weigh 1/2 lb in total.
- 4 - 1lb. clamshell cartons of strawberries
- 6 oz. clamshell of raspberries. This was a rare splurge because they are a favorite of Deanna, who was with me. These are not in the photo because they didn't make it home.
- 10 lb. bag of ice, which I used to keep the produce cool for the rest of day. This also isn't in the photo, because...well...the ice would have melted and run off the table and that wouldn't have made such a good picture.
This filled my grocery cart to the very top, and I suspect it will do the same with my refrigerator.

What do you think I paid for all perishable goodness? Give your guess in the comments, and the closest (or first correct) guess will win a copy of Backyard Homestead, one of my favorite new books from Vision Forum!
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120 Responses to “Great deals on produce for me, and a giveaway for you!”
August 28th, 2009 at 4:55 pm
I’m going to be crazy and guess low-I know that is not as fun, but I guess $14.49
August 28th, 2009 at 4:59 pm
I’m going to guess around $32.00. Sounds like a yummy grocery shopping trip to me.
August 28th, 2009 at 5:35 pm
I’m guessing $18.50.
There are at least 2 places like that at the Dallas Farmer’s Market.
August 28th, 2009 at 5:53 pm
I’m guessing $22.00.
I wish I had a place like this!
August 28th, 2009 at 6:18 pm
$20?
If there is a place like that around here, I haven’t found it yet, but now I’ll be looking! Yum.
August 28th, 2009 at 6:24 pm
I am guessing $28.79
August 28th, 2009 at 6:40 pm
I’ll say it was $28.00.
August 28th, 2009 at 6:41 pm
$35? We have nothing like this around me (I live outside Philly) that I know of – so my guess might be WAY off! Can’t wait to hear the answer!
August 28th, 2009 at 7:40 pm
I am guessing $29…
August 28th, 2009 at 7:44 pm
$22.80. Theres nothing around here that I know of.
August 28th, 2009 at 7:53 pm
$23.50
We have nowhere like that around here
August 28th, 2009 at 7:54 pm
Hmmm. I say $23.
August 28th, 2009 at 7:56 pm
Let’s see…$25.
August 28th, 2009 at 8:23 pm
I guess $28.75. Not a bad haul. How’s the dumpster there?
August 28th, 2009 at 8:32 pm
I’ll guess $17
I just googled it and it looks like there is a place here in Richmond, VA that does produce and other stuff by the case. I’ll have to check that out!
August 28th, 2009 at 8:38 pm
How about $31.50
August 28th, 2009 at 9:13 pm
I will guess 24.56. hope I am right. I want that book
August 28th, 2009 at 9:18 pm
I was going to guess $20, but I see that is taken, so I’ll guess $21.
August 28th, 2009 at 9:21 pm
Since this is not taken, I’ll go with $32. I’m afraid it will be too high.
August 28th, 2009 at 9:28 pm
Oh, I wish we could shop like that around here. We’d all be healthier for it! I’m guessing $12.50.
August 28th, 2009 at 10:32 pm
My guess is $21.50
August 28th, 2009 at 10:54 pm
$30 I’m jealous!
August 29th, 2009 at 12:11 am
I am going to guess $27.50
August 29th, 2009 at 3:18 am
I’m thinking $37.80 … those raspberries and strawberries alone could add on a hefty chunk of change!
August 29th, 2009 at 5:07 am
I am guessing $29.25.
August 29th, 2009 at 5:49 am
I’m guessing $19.50!
August 29th, 2009 at 6:11 am
wild guess $10.00 ….. I have a yummy Cauliflower Pie recipe from an old Moosewood Cookbook
August 29th, 2009 at 6:35 am
How about 22.05? I can’t wait to hear the answer!
August 29th, 2009 at 6:43 am
I am guessing around $21.00?
August 29th, 2009 at 7:09 am
I came up with $28.50.
August 29th, 2009 at 7:09 am
$27
Stefanie, come down to the Italian Market, you’ll get great deals… and one can get cases too…
while maybe not as cheap as this, but certainly a good value, most farmers at farmer’s markets or any CSAs can make cases or flats of veggies available at a discount. They publicize this when it comes to crops that are good for putting up, but often will do it with every crop. (Stefanie, in downtown Philly see http://www.greensgrow.org)
August 29th, 2009 at 7:12 am
I’m guessing $21.50!
August 29th, 2009 at 7:26 am
Wow wee that is a lot of veggies!! Now for price….
thinking right now…. I’m going to say $25.50.
I have just moved to Cairo in Egypt and I must say I am very pleased with the veggie prices. I filled about 1/3rd of my fridge for about $3.
Thanks,
Forest.
August 29th, 2009 at 7:46 am
man, i want to live where the other commenters do! i added up what this would’ve cost at the best sale prices at my cheapest discount grocery (aldi-type store), and it came up to $38.85!! since wholesale would obviously be cheaper, i’m gonna guess $26.
August 29th, 2009 at 7:51 am
I live near a lot of farms and buy my veggies at the local produce stand as often as possible.
I’m going to say you paid $16.00.
August 29th, 2009 at 8:19 am
Oh how I wish for a place like this to be near us. That would be great. I am going to guess that you paid $16.75. Which would be awesome…. I bet whatever you paid was an awesome deal…
August 29th, 2009 at 8:19 am
That produce looks great! I’m going to say $25.75. Really I can’t fathom getting all of that for less than this.
August 29th, 2009 at 9:20 am
I’m going to guess $19.35- we live in a small town and pay premium prices for our groceries- and driving somewhere else is a two hour round trip – I envy you this opportunity to shop so cheaply!
August 29th, 2009 at 9:31 am
Guessing at $22.50. Beautiful array of veggies and fruit.
August 29th, 2009 at 9:37 am
You paid a whopping 11.11
August 29th, 2009 at 9:40 am
Hmmmm …. hmmm…. 19.50
August 29th, 2009 at 9:43 am
My guesstimate is $15.25. Thanks for the opportunity!
August 29th, 2009 at 10:33 am
I am so jealous!! I will guess $24.50. We would have to drive for an hour to get to a place that would do this. We do have Produce Junctions which are pretty cheap.
August 29th, 2009 at 10:54 am
Eleven dollars.
August 29th, 2009 at 11:22 am
I am going to say 21.50, but I am dying to know what the right amount was
August 29th, 2009 at 11:26 am
That looks fantastic. I’ll say $18.66
August 29th, 2009 at 12:00 pm
I’m guessing $23.55. I’m drooling with envy-especially with all those mini-bananas. They make adorable frozen bananas dipped in chocolate and rolled in peanuts.
August 29th, 2009 at 12:03 pm
My guess is $23.85. Can’t wait to see your price!
August 29th, 2009 at 12:32 pm
Yummers! And what an interesting sounding book. Sounds great for young, old, and us in-betweener Sandwich Generation / Baby Boomer Generation. Thank you
How about $22.22
August 29th, 2009 at 1:32 pm
Well, the $23 I was going to guess is taken, soo….
$17.85
August 29th, 2009 at 2:09 pm
$15.00- looks delicious
August 29th, 2009 at 2:16 pm
I’ll guess $26.93
We have nothing like that here. You’re very lucky!
August 29th, 2009 at 2:43 pm
I am going to guess $24 but pass on the book if I win because I bought a copy at your table at the OKC Homeschool convention, and I LOVE it;)
August 29th, 2009 at 2:48 pm
I’ll say $23.25.
You are lucky to have a place like that. Strawberry season and collard greens are at a roadside stand are about as good as it gets here in small town FL.
August 29th, 2009 at 2:54 pm
So many guesses are close to the amount I would say so I’ll be specific. $24.47.
August 29th, 2009 at 2:56 pm
I’m going to guess 15.50. And as soon as I move to San Antonio, I’ll be emailing you back to find out exactly where this incredible place is!!
August 29th, 2009 at 2:57 pm
OK, I am terrible at this stuff. We just moved to Spain and have found some great little “fruterias” to buy fruits and veggies, but I haven’t figured the prices in $ yet. I am going to guess $28.86.
August 29th, 2009 at 2:59 pm
$26.50 – I’ve never heard of anything like this here in Idaho. Bummer!
August 29th, 2009 at 2:59 pm
I’d guess about $30.
We have a produce depot in Jacksonville, FL at the Jacksonville Farmers Market, which is open dawn-dusk 365 days a year. It’s terrific; you can even buy seafood, rabbits & chickens there, and one of the vendors gives me all of her soft bananas for free when I buy anything from her, which means we eat a lot of banana bread & muffins & smoothies. There are some smaller farmer-specific markets here too, but the JFM is the biggest.
August 29th, 2009 at 3:01 pm
My guess would have to be $14.95. Thanks for the chance to win!
August 29th, 2009 at 3:02 pm
I think about $27.77?
August 29th, 2009 at 3:02 pm
My guess is $15.00 total!
August 29th, 2009 at 3:27 pm
I wanted $23, too, going with our local market prices (in England – today I got nectarines for about 34cents per pound). But that is taken,so I’ll guess $24.
August 29th, 2009 at 3:57 pm
$34.95 – I live in AK and rarely see any decent produce. When we were in TX this spring it was wonderful eating produce that tasted like it was supposed to.
August 29th, 2009 at 4:00 pm
I will have to say:
$24.89
August 29th, 2009 at 4:15 pm
$27.39? I’d love to find a place like that in Houston.
August 29th, 2009 at 4:15 pm
$17
If it were me, the raspberries wouldn’t have made it home either.
August 29th, 2009 at 4:19 pm
My guess is $33.35
August 29th, 2009 at 4:27 pm
$17.50. I’d love to find a place like that in Knoxville!
August 29th, 2009 at 4:43 pm
Because I am so frugal I am guessing $13.50
I have been getting produce from a local distributor when it is very ripe but still viable free or at a very low cost. In return I do some advertising for him on my blog and through a local newsletter. It is so important to get the word out when there is a special or a sale for all those who need to savea penny here or there. Thanks for your site!
August 29th, 2009 at 4:54 pm
I’m going to say $16.25 and hope my tired preggo brain didn’t miss where someone else already guessed that number…
August 29th, 2009 at 5:06 pm
I’m going to take a wild guess from my experience shopping bulk, farmers markets, and all that, and say about $35
August 29th, 2009 at 5:12 pm
I’m going to say 19.75 … wish I had somewhere like that near where I live!! Enjoy all that yummy food!
August 29th, 2009 at 5:15 pm
I’m gonna go with $22.27
August 29th, 2009 at 5:50 pm
Our boys love baby bananas…my guess is 24.72
August 29th, 2009 at 5:51 pm
My guess is $30.70. I can’t wait to hear how well you did.
August 29th, 2009 at 6:00 pm
$19.23
looks yummy!
August 29th, 2009 at 6:02 pm
$14.44
Tell them to come to central PA
Blessings to you ans yours
August 29th, 2009 at 6:24 pm
I’m going with $13.58. I have fond memories of the San Antonio Farmer’s Market as a child. Shall have to check for the same here.
Ang in OKC
August 29th, 2009 at 6:30 pm
Ok, I never been to something like that. Therefore, I have no idea what you
paid for it! But I am going to make
an absolutely wild guess: $ 31.77
My mom will be so jealous if I win,
because she wanted this book too.
Alanna N.
August 29th, 2009 at 6:32 pm
Could it be $16.49?
August 29th, 2009 at 6:37 pm
Okay..I have no idea but I am going to guess $24.38
August 29th, 2009 at 6:39 pm
Well, I stink at these games, but I’m gonna guess $25.72. That’s a nice random number!
August 29th, 2009 at 6:49 pm
I’m going with 34.59…
August 29th, 2009 at 6:53 pm
$33.00 is my guess. Or $19.01 if it is supercheap day!
August 29th, 2009 at 7:06 pm
$24.33 is my highly scientific guess!
August 29th, 2009 at 7:07 pm
You probably got them for a really good deal so I will go with $9.00?
August 29th, 2009 at 7:15 pm
I’ll shoot for $20.94.
August 29th, 2009 at 7:37 pm
I am going to guess $25.26. That’s probably too high, isn’t it? I can’t imagine it being any cheaper, though.
August 29th, 2009 at 7:53 pm
I’ll guess 18.95.
August 29th, 2009 at 8:20 pm
I think you paid $14.87.
August 29th, 2009 at 8:49 pm
I didn’t read all the other guesses so sorry if this is the same as someone else…
$17.48
August 29th, 2009 at 8:50 pm
26.50 is my guess
August 29th, 2009 at 9:13 pm
I guess $26.88 and then I want to know how long this will last at your house??
August 29th, 2009 at 10:24 pm
I’d say $23.59
http://thesuburbanjungle.blogspot.com
August 30th, 2009 at 12:58 am
I’m going to guess $9.50. More because if you did, you saved a LOT of money!
August 30th, 2009 at 3:17 am
$13.50? LOL wild guess
August 30th, 2009 at 7:41 am
What beautiful produce! We live in southwest Florida. We have farmer’s markets, but I am not aware of a place that sells by the case at wholesale prices… You’ve got me curious if there is a place. My guess is $29.75.
August 30th, 2009 at 7:59 am
Hmm. Immediate reaction is about $32. But, you are beaming with the “great deal grin”. So…my guess is $21.99.
August 30th, 2009 at 10:43 am
Well, this will be a blind guess as I have had no experience with this…but I’ll say 31.35!
August 30th, 2009 at 12:16 pm
My guess will be hmmmm $27.75
August 30th, 2009 at 1:43 pm
What beautiful produce! I’ll guess low–$9.00 Is the prize a good book? Karen
August 30th, 2009 at 3:54 pm
Wow! How about $23.23 for a guess?
August 30th, 2009 at 5:51 pm
$19.75?
~Livvy P.
August 31st, 2009 at 5:24 am
Very nice tip. Wish my town had one, I googled “produce terminal” and “grocery terminal” and found nothing.
BTW, my guess is $31.52
August 31st, 2009 at 6:09 am
i am guessing 32.50 but it is probably much lower, especially if you go right before they close.
August 31st, 2009 at 6:15 am
My guess? $21.84
August 31st, 2009 at 6:46 am
$20.50? I have no idea, but I know produce is cheaper there than in Indiana!
August 31st, 2009 at 7:06 am
Looks like about $26.79?
August 31st, 2009 at 8:07 am
I can’t believe all the low guesses! Fruit just must be high where I live. I guess $40.
August 31st, 2009 at 8:44 am
$13.95
Great buy.
Fat chance, probably, of my winning the free copy, but I’d would love it!
Have a nice day!
August 31st, 2009 at 8:56 am
I am not reading other people’s guesses but I am guessing $15.34
I can not wait to find out the total.
August 31st, 2009 at 8:57 am
Oh, I would love a place like that here in WI…please let me know if you get a recommendation for one!
I have no idea…guessing here..$23.00?
Heather
August 31st, 2009 at 10:16 am
$46.
Dare to be different
August 31st, 2009 at 12:04 pm
I would guess $17.36. What a haul!
Rebecca VE
August 31st, 2009 at 2:32 pm
I don’t know what wholesale prices are like, unfortunately, but I’m also going to guess low. $15.23? The book looks interesting!
August 31st, 2009 at 3:02 pm
I wasn’t patient enough to scroll through all the comments to see if the price I wanted to guess was already taken…so I’ll go for a really odd number of cents, hoping to avoid a repeat
$30.78
August 31st, 2009 at 3:57 pm
Well I calculated what I might be able to get it for if I had the lowest price I have seen on each item and came up with $22.75. I almost changed my answer because there were so many similiar guesses but decided to stick with it.
The book sounds fun.
August 31st, 2009 at 4:44 pm
if you paid any less than my guess of $31.96 you are saving more than I am at my Amish market
August 31st, 2009 at 8:34 pm
My guess would be $26.73. Congrats!! We are only five people, and we go through 10lb of fruit in about 3 days…
Laura