I have been trying to locate a method of getting large orders of fruit (such as plums and pears etc) from a grower to us here in Missouri. I am in a large group that would like to pool our ordes and get a break in price- like we do with peaches (by buying a truckload we get them for 8-12 per bushel)

There was a person who used to coordinate this, but they are not in the area or reachable. So does anyone have any idea about locating produce markets that would take group orders like this?

Thanks, Sarah

-- Sarah (heartsongacres@juno.com), June 22, 2001

Answers

a food co op comes to mind. Or contact a produce market,, and ask the manager. If you can get enough people together,, you should be able to get it for just over cost

-- stan (sopal@net-port.com), June 22, 2001.

I don't know if this kind of thing would be practical or not for you, or even if you would want to do this, but I'll tell you how my mother and I get literally 100s of pounds of produce for free. We go to our nearest small city (a half-hour's drive), and raid the dumpsters for the truckloads of produce that they throw out. We have canned hundreds of jars of fruits, vegetables and preserves from our supermarket throw-aways, but we stay so buried in the fresh stuff all the time that we don't bother canning much. Our budget is so tight that this is a god-send. We have plenty to feed the chickens and many needy people, too! This produce has little wrong with it. If one apple in a 10# bag gets a bruise, they throw the whole bag out! All of the mis-shapen potatoes, oranges that aren't orange enough, or for whatever other reason- they throw out many boxes full everyday (we only go one or two days per week). When they get a new shipment, all of the old, even if it was from the shipment that came in 2 days before, is all pulled off the shelves and tossed. Don't believe me? Start watching. Also check out the usenet group alt-dumpster You'll see this kind of thing is common practise. The supermarkets will not give it to you if you ask. You have to pick up the boxes out of the dumpsters and load 'em up. If you're squeamish at the thought, you've never been hungry.

-- Cathy<>< (trinityhealth@nativestar.net), June 22, 2001.

I got the newsgroup name typed wrong. It's alt.dumpster

-- Cathy<>< (trinityhealth@nativestar.net), June 22, 2001.

I live in Missouri and there is a colledge in Mountain Grove that just grows fruit. I don't know what they do with all that fruil but why not give them a call all they can say is no. Try some of the farmer's markets and when you find somthing that you like see if they can get you bigger amounts. Alot of the people at our farmer's markets go down to the big farms in Ak and bring that stuf up to sell.

-- Teresa (c3ranch@hotmail.com), June 22, 2001.

sarah:

there is an organic orchard a few miles away from me on hwy 171 in southwest wisconsin. try requesting "gays mills" telephone exchange, and if this doesn't work send me a note and i'll get the number. i don't know how they'd ship apples to you, but they'd have suggestions. i have heard you can get "seconds" from them that aren't pretty enough to sell for regular eating, but i haven't tried that yet for sauce. It is called TURKEY RIDGE. maybe your can find it on the web somewhere (tr farm? tr orchard?) their prices are good.

-- marcee (thathope@mwt.net), June 22, 2001.

Don't tell them you want to eat it yourself! Ask the produce person for any produce that they would throw away for your "animals".

All the stores around here save for farm animals and they will give you whatever they have at the moment. Go in the afternoon when they have been pulling stuff all day.

Tell them you have pigs, chickens, cows - whatever. Amy

-- Amy Richards (amysgarden2@earthlink.net), June 25, 2001.