All of the grocery stores are offering sales on in-season produce.  I was curious as to whether or not our share was still a “good deal” since the store produce seemed inexpensive (not cheap by any means!).  So while I was at the grocery store last week, I jotted down the cost of the comparable produce from our share.  Here’s what I came up with:

• PRODUCE                      STORE PRICE          SHARE COST
• Tomatoes                             $1.49/lb                $5.22
• Eggplant – the store didn’t have any
• Squash/Zucchini                 $1.29/lb                $0.65
• Cilantro                                  $1.49/3(?) oz       $0.25
• 2 Cucumbers                       $0.98/2                 $0.98
• Lettuce                                   $2.99                    $2.99
• Raspberries                         $3.99                     $3.99
• Cherry Tomatoes                $2.00/pint             $1.00
• Potatoes                                $2.29/lb               $4.59
• Spring Onions                      $2.00/12              $1.00
• Basil                                       $2.99/ 2 oz           $2.99
• Garlic                                      $2.49/lb                $0.57
• Colored Sweet Peppers    $3.99/lb                $2.51
• Hot Peppers                         $2.99/6                 $1.00
• Tomatillo – the store didn’t have any

So our total produce savings for Share #12 is $27.74 plus the undetermined cost of the eggplant and the tomatillo.  That adds up to over $100 a month in fresh produce!  Our share will pay for itself in 15 weeks, giving us 5 weeks of essentially “FREE” produce!  AND that produce is sooooo much better than what we can buy in the store!  PLUS I’ve been freezing some of it so we will have it for months to come!  Now that’s a not a “good deal”…it’s a GREAT deal!