• bamboo@lemm.ee
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          11 months ago

          To a degree, but don’t underestimate the extreme degree of inefficient “profit” built into the US system. Even basics like fruits and vegetables often have a half dozen companies in the process, and each one pads the pricing with as much headroom has they can get away with. If you can buy produce from a farmer directly it is often half the cost or less, and they’re getting a better deal too than if they sold to a wholesale distributor. Processed foods, manufactured goods have even more companies involved padding on their own margins.

          • pan_troglodytes@programming.dev
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            11 months ago

            i suppose it depends on where you live, but the farmers markets here are no cheaper than visiting a Safeway supermarket

            • bamboo@lemm.ee
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              11 months ago

              Generally the good deals aren’t at the centralized farmers markets. The dirt cheap deals are at the roadside stand sort of places. They’re pretty rare in urban areas like where I live now for fairly obvious reasons, but growing up in a rural area a good variety of seasonal vegetables could be found at roadside stands. They’re not really advertised, but the people in the area know who sells what and when it is in season, and it is usually just like a folding table covered in produce and a jar to put money in, all on the honor system.

              • Holyhandgrenade@lemmy.world
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                11 months ago

                I love those little roadside stands! They usually have the best strawberries, cherries and apples you’ve had in your life. Dirt cheap too

                • bamboo@lemm.ee
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                  11 months ago

                  Yeah, any sort of berries are so much better than what a store could sell, corn too was the sweetest especially if you cooked it that night.

            • bamboo@lemm.ee
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              11 months ago

              Generally the good deals aren’t at the centralized farmers markets. The dirt cheap deals are at the roadside stand sort of places. They’re pretty rare in urban areas like where I live now for fairly obvious reasons, but growing up in a rural area a good variety of seasonal vegetables could be found at roadside stands. They’re not really advertised, but the people in the area know who sells what and when it is in season, and it is usually just like a folding table covered in produce and a jar to put money in, all on the honor system.

      • finkrat@lemmy.world
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        11 months ago

        Cost of living is pretty low there but not that low. Lots of impoverished communities.

    • panchzila@lemmy.world
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      11 months ago

      Mexican here, standard of living and costs are lower. Our minimum wage has always been a joke but government doesn’t raise it because inflation. I’m too ignorant on those matters and really don’t know if that is true.