Any Farmers in Hilo Farmers Market?

[StillHope]

I was only 2 Saturdays in Hilo.So I might be wrong,but it looks like
most vendors there (except for the certified organic people) are buying there produce "from their neighbours".
All in the same packaging and packaged by about the same quantity.
I am talking about fruits and vegetables.

I asked a couple of vendors the same question,got the same answer ("Oh , I pay myself that much" -exactly to a penny) and out of curiosity asked the rest(not all though).Exactly the same wording and price.

I bought what I need and will come again.

But just curious - are most of the vendors just sell the produce they got from a centralized distributor?

Do real farmers/growers sell in Hilo Farmers Market?

May be it's just Saturday ?.

[mdd7000]

You nailed it.
Many (not all) of the so-called farmers aren't real farmers. They are simply people reselling fruits and veggies from a couple of the local wholesalers and their products are not even locally grown. I don't even trust many of the so-called certified organic ones either anymore as some of their products look suspiciously alike.

[JerryCarr]

I've seen produce at Hilo and Makuu markets with supermarket SKU stickers on them! At least some of the vendors, when questioned, will admit they don't grow their stuff.

[missydog1]

good question, Hope. It bothers me too. Yeah, just accidentally it costs them all the same exact amount to produce an avo or mango or zucchini or papaya. The price-fixing annoys me. Many of the vendors are there seven days a week, so one wonders when they could be doing the farming. I am not saying there isn't perfectly good produce, but most are not farmers.

[Greg]

At Maku'u, the vendors I talk to and use are straight up about what they grow and what they resale. I buy most all of my weekly vegetables on Sunday and would be disapointed if I couldn't get potatoes, Maui onions, or other stuff and had to make a trip to Hilo for them. I look at it as a service they provide to offer a complete selection.....not a scam.

There are also the purist vendor/farmers that grow all their own stuff, but their selection is limited.

Stoneface

[Carey]

I have heard that the Volcano Farmers Market is the real thing... but never have made it (starts real early on Sunday - done by 9am!)

Farm stands are more dependable... there have been a few good ones, but many of them seem to have been hit by the economy.

Some of the local farmers market sellers are selling for Waipio farmers, but most seem to get bulk produce

[missydog1]

Greg, I do like that the Hilo market also has a pretty complete line of produce, for the reason you mention, but the duplication of vendors is not good for the feel of the market. Only the faces change in so many of the stalls. There are exceptions. There's an orchid lady who's really nice with excellent prices (live orchids), and a few one of a kind people. I like Maku'u; it's far from where I live or I'd go there.

The market up in North Kohala is very genuine. A lot of people have stuff they grow, not really as farmers but more like Punawebbers who have an excess of fruit crop or veggies, and they go set up when they have surplus. I'm sure there are regulars too. I know it's too far for Puna folks to drive, but am just mentioning that it's another genuine one. Much smaller than Maku'u, and over about noon-1. There is one in HOVE too that I haven't been to but a friend of mine plans to start selling and it will be only stuff that he produces.

[asly]

Thank you for pointing this out, I hadn't really thought that far into it, but I was only at the Hilo market the one time on a Saturday and quite overwhelmed. I'd rather support local farmers/producers and fill in with some of the other items when needed, much as Greg wrote.

We went to the Sunday market at Volcano, def local folks/growers selling their own stuff. If you've never been, it was wonderful we really enjoyed it, perfect place to eat breakfast and then get lunch for a hike in the park.

Enjoy the day! Ann

Back to blogging at
http://crazypineappledream.blogspot.com

[StillHope]

Thank you,everyone.
Just tried the tomatoes -"Waimea vine grown" tasted like watery ones from a grocery store..
The rest of the produce is more or less decent.

[Rob Tucker]

Best to start a garden and or build a small greenhouse (screen house to keep bugs away) if you want a dependable source of tasty stuff.