Highway Robbery

Guy comes regularly to the farmers market because it is convenient and accepts his Rhode Island Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program card. 

But that does not make him a happy customer. He claims that the produce does not come from local farms. However, in order to sell at Farm Fresh markets, vendors are required to fill out an application where they affirm 100% of the produce they sell was grown on their farm. Some full-time vendors may apply for a special exemption from this rule for certain products, in which case only 10% of what they sell can consist of items sourced from other local farms.

It’s highway robbery. The prices are ridiculous. You can't charge $6 or $8 when the price is $2.59. I keep coming back because I really don't want to go running around. 

I bought a watermelon over here. It was terrible. $10 for a watermelon. Come on. They're ridiculous. They should be normal prices. And first of all, these eggs ain't fresh. These ain't from farmers market. They go buy them and they put them in there and they get $6 for that. That's not right. You should be doing a farmers market where they grow them right there. That's the way to do it. Not these guys. They ain't got nothing to buy anyway. I want lettuce. They ain't got no lettuce. Farmers market and you don't have lettuce? Come on. 

I came because I live right up the street. It's convenient. I don’t normally go to other markets for groceries, I always come here. I came here, I spent $34. Nothing. They want a dollar each onion. Come on. I think the price is ridiculous. There is another supermarket on Hartford Avenue. There's the Armory. I just don't want to go there. Actually, what I wanted was lettuce. They don't have it.

I mean, I have to spend. I got to get rid of it. I want to get rid of the cards. This is a government card. It's a $50 card. At the senior center, you just have to go and sign and they give it to you for free. Low income. That's how they work. Before they used to give a lot of stamps. They used to give $15 before. Now this year they're giving $50. But $50 buys nothing. Well, it's trying to help people. But to me, you should get $50 on it and be able to spend it the way you want. 

I've been living here since 1962. I go by here every day. They're here every Monday until the end of this month. They never got nothing. It's supposed to be fresh. You're supposed to have your own farm. You're supposed to take it out of the farm and sell it over here, but whatever they sell over here doesn't come from the farm. They all come from stores. They go buy from the big guy and separate them. That's what I see.