It's cheating!
By MsTickle
@MsTickle (25180)
Australia
March 21, 2013 6:12pm CST
I was travelling home the other day, still had a few hours to go and needed a break.
Now long ago in days of old, you could be driving in the country and come upon a farmer selling his produce. The fruit would be delicious and the veggies fresh and tasty.
I was pleased to see one such roadside stall so I pulled up thinking to stretch my legs (and ease my bum) and buy some yummy fruit.
It all looked wonderful, ripe, red tomatoes, plump, juicy plums succulent looking grapes and nectarines, peaches and peachicots that just invited a taste. And I did get a taste of the last three...sweet, juicy, tasty fruit to die for.
I was in for a shock when it came time to pay for my 3 lots of fruit..."$21 she says". I worriedly look in my wallet and I don't have that much. I said I would put something back and she quickly wanted to know how much I had...I reached $20.50 cents and that was fine.
I arrived home weary and hungry and unloaded my fruit and was shocked to see marks and bruises I hadn't noticed earlier. I bit into the fruit...hard, nearly dry and tasteless. I tried a different piece - same deal.
I had been ripped off, cheated, deceived. It will be the last time I can assure you.
6 people like this
18 responses
@wolfie34 (26771)
• United Kingdom
21 Mar 13
That sounds an awful lot of money for what little you got, I am not doubting you my friend, but didn't the produce have prices? I would have been angry too, after all she should be grateful of the custom, instead of ripping you off, blatantly I may add. Would you bother to go back there and tell her how you felt and maybe take the unappetizing fruit back to show her, or is too far to drive? I hate being ripped off, you feel foolish as well and frustrated that you didn't check the fruits over more carefully at the time.
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
21 Mar 13
No wolfie, it's too far away. There were no prices either. I'd been paying $2 - $3 in the supermarket for similar, that's why I was shocked. The amounts were large too so I was happy to put one bag back but she caught me. The other thing was, because the fruit was so delicious that she gave as a taste, I didn't mind the price so much.
This would never have happened in the good old days. I might ring the council and mention the experience. I'm guessing they won't have a licence to sell there and they do need one.
2 people like this
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
22 Mar 13
Yep! As I read the responses here I realise that she was controlling the situation from the word go. There were others pulling up and coming over while I was leaving so I hope she comes undone with more people around. I'm thinking of ringing the local council but it will have to wait till Monday now dammit!
2 people like this
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
22 Mar 13
so they left out samples of yummy stuff then sold the crappy ones? or she put the good ones on top? next time id check them out first and tell them ive been ripped off so i cant buy what i dont get a good look at. like at the market, at least you get to look through the fruit to see if it might be good.
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
22 Mar 13
Actually she did both. Like, she gave me white fleshed nectarines to taste but sold me the yellow. I didn't think anything of it at the time but now I know she wanted to off load the old stuff. She was giving me the samples so fast I didn't have time to handle anything.
The farmers market has everything on display properly but it's only once a month and over an hour from my place. The other thing at the shops or the market, I can buy the quantity I want...I only ever get 2 or 3 pieces of anything but I get a variety.
2 people like this
@jazel_juan (15747)
• Philippines
22 Mar 13
Oh my that was quite bad of the vendor to do that!! that is why i would really check the fruits i am buying as they can be that deceiving, sad to hear you were cheated Ms Tickle. 
3 people like this
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
22 Mar 13
Today the fruit is feeling quite old and wrinkled so it was not even fresh. I was not given the chance of checking or touching anything. I was going to eat the fruit but the peach I tried today was just awful. I've never tasted a peach so dreadful. It was a costly lesson.
2 people like this
Yes, what a ripoff!
@XtremeGaming (742)
• South Africa
22 Mar 13
Yea you shouldn't buy from a desolate location. You can't take it back they might not even be there
@pergammano (7682)
• Canada
23 Mar 13
Hope you like Chutney..m'dear..'cuz it looks like you are in a "jam" that you need to make picles..outta!
Sorry...had to make a little light of this, as I, too...get so DANG angry with "bait and switch!" That doesn't happen all that often here, from Roadside stands, usually they are of better quality..and I love the idea, of from Garden to Roadside, so I am likely to get caught in a trap like that, too!
Sadly, our roadside stands here, have become toooooo FAR and few between, but that is becuase of pressure by government...overregulating! Licenses, cooling systems, health regs...all but have eliminated these!
I, at one time, sold Eggs...and had to have a little fridge, at the roadside, and the fridge or the extension cords always disappeared faster than the eggs..!
How are things going with your Official papers for your journey, dearheart???
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
23 Mar 13
Hi pergy...yes, I think it is red tape that has caused the disappearance of the roadside seller. Which makes me think in retrospect that these guys probably appear, sell their stuff for a day and then move on.
I've had all the documents (but one) in hand but it turns out that I don't need that one (48 dollars down the drain). The paperwork is now being turned into my passport. It will be sent back to me and I will send it and my visa application back to my daughter to take care of.
Meanwhile, I had my solar panels put in on Thursday last, we've has 20mil of rain, the back of my house is being clad (the front and sides were done in 2007). I'm not terribly busy but I am a little stressed and overwhelmed by everything...especially the bank account activity.
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
22 Mar 13
hi mustickle to me that sounds likke outragoue prices and they were selling sub par fruit toolIts sad when farmers do things like that as most are honest and sell at reasonable prices and sell only good quality produce. I know when I was home we sold corn and various veggies and I always picked the b est of the crop to sell and town people were trilled to get our veggies and fruit too.I remember selling ears of really fantastic sweetcorn for a penny an ear as it was all surplus and we ate all we could and canned and froze a lot so we sold the extra at a reasonable price
2 people like this
@kprofgames (3091)
• United States
22 Mar 13
People that sell that kind of stuff don't stay in business long. For 'fresh' it should taste the same.
Our farmers markets can be pricy here but they are vine ripened and you need to use them right away. Some of the things I've seen are no better than canning tomatoes but then they will price them out differently.
2 people like this
@randylovesdar (4932)
• United States
22 Mar 13
That is terrible that you were cheated. I used to love going to these little stands because you got great quality fruits and vegetables for a great price. Now I wait for the fruits to be in season before I buy them. It is hard to wait for the sales on fruit because Randy is diabetic and needs to eat fruits and vegetables in order to keep his sugars down.
2 people like this
@PointlessQuestions (15397)
• United States
21 Mar 13
That's a lot of money to get cheated over. I believe, if its not too far, is take them back and demand fresh fruit....but it's probably a long way away since you were driving a long way.
3 people like this
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
21 Mar 13
This happened about 2 and 1/2 hours away. It would serve no purpose even if I could take them back. The fruit was low quality, they would not be able to exchange good for bad.
They are selling their produce from that spot deliberately because they will get people travelling long distances mainly.
2 people like this
@RitterSport (2451)
• Lippstadt, Germany
31 Mar 13
hi dear MsTickle I can soooo relate to your anger about that farmers market. We have a good one in the suburb of my old hometown where I lived for 15 years. I always bought from the same reliable folks who offered great produce. Granted, it was more expensive than in the supermarket but well worth it.
So imagine my disapproval when I bought some stuff at the farmers market here in my new home town. they had cheated us like you experienced, putting the gross rotten stuff into the paper bag and then a bit of good stuff on it so you wont see.
I rather buy at the supermarket now cause the quality is lots better.
1 person likes this
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
31 Mar 13
Hi there R, so nice to see you. Happy Easter!
Sadly, the supermarket quality can be hit and miss also. I bought some beautiful pears from my local store a few weeks ago and they were the best pears ever! This week, they looked great but they were inedible. I bought some beautiful apples from the local the other day...I just hope the next two are as good as the first. I've also been enjoying some lovely grapes as well so I'm thanking my lucky stars.
@RitterSport (2451)
• Lippstadt, Germany
31 Mar 13
you are so right, MsTickle, supermarket stuff can be hit and miss as well. But if I make the wrong choices in fruits or veggies from the supermarket I lose less money than when I buy at the expensive farmers market here in town.
Great to hear you got some nice stuff now. Hope you have a Happy Easter as well.
@prettysexybrainy (189)
• Philippines
22 Mar 13
Oh no that was very expensive juice. I guess before dealing with something better ask first how much it will cost. You do not want to be ended feeling ripped off. It was not cheating anyways, i guess it is your responsibility to ask first than to be lured with how it looks like. Everything now is tempting of course seller tend to make it look good to attract buyers.
2 people like this
@sarameastrong (826)
• Surrey, British Columbia
22 Mar 13
oh thats really cheating .u must double check the fruit before you godrag the fruit .or mybe the girl have no choice to find money.or at least you have helped the girl.just charge it as experience that you must aware next time you but fruits.
1 person likes this
@hereandthere (45651)
• Philippines
22 Mar 13
we have a lot of sidewalk vendors here and those pushing wooden carts. you really have to be alert and choose the items yourself. and watch the bag carefully because some have a ready bag of rotten goods they'd switch on you.
1 person likes this
@srisahara (4508)
• Indonesia
22 Mar 13
Yes friend, I also have an experience like you. I often take travel to other town on my region. I usually using bus or train, because I go alone. When I am in the bus, I look a fruit merchant, he brings apples in plastic package that are arranged interesting, they look sweet and nice. I choose one and pay. When I arrive at home, I open the plastic package, all fruits has point rotten. It turns out, he has closed the point rotten with the other fruit. Yes, it's cheating!
