Gettyimages.com/African American couple browsing produce in farmers market
Farmer’s markets are such happy places. Many take place on the weekends, when nobody seems to be in a rush, everyone is happy to stop and listen to the street music, and shoppers have all the time in the world to chat with the farmers about recipe ideas. It’s hard to believe that anything sketchy is going on around gorgeous baskets of peaches and adorable pet adoptions (a popular addition to many Farmer’s Markets). But some vendors take advantage of the fact that vendors don’t ask questions, and are just so eager to support local farmers, that they wouldn’t dare suspect anything. Here are signs of Farmer’s Market scams.
Gettyimages.com/Women shopping together at fruit stand
Fake farmer’s markets
Don’t assume that every Farmer’s Market only accepts true farmers. Some of the vendors are just people who bought crates of fruit at wholesale prices at a farm, and drove them to the market to overcharge. Look for “producers only” markets to guarantee you’re supporting local farmers.
