So I had a few hours to kill this afternoon and decided to check out what's available in Peabody for fresh produce. It was my lucky day since there were 3 places that I could hit all of of Lowell Street. The first was the Peabody Farmers' Market which is located behind the District Courthouse off Railroad Ave. in downtown Peabody. I had to go to Market Basket in the morning for my mom, so I took notes on some of the prices in their produce department to compare.
There was a good variety of stuff for sale, with beets, lettuce, apples and plums and nectarines laid out under a pop-up tent next to the little yellow diner. I had noticed that beets were $1.99 a bunch in Market Basket and here they were $2.50. Apples and pears were $1.79 a pound. The people running the stand said they did a brisk business with all the assisted living centers in the neighborhood and they were pretty cool about having photos taken as well. A little more expensive than a chain store maybe, but the stuff all looked like it had just come out of the ground and you can't beat the proximity to Salem.
Next was Chris's Farm Stand up on Lake Street in Peabody. For those of us who make the pilgrimage to the Ross Memorial Playground, it's located a short ways away off of Lowell Street where it makes a left at the Hannaford's Plaza. No beets here and the apples were $1.89 a pound and corn was $6.50 for a baker's dozen. LOTS of pumpkins though, if that's your thing.
Last stop on the tour was back down Lowell Street to Brooksby's Farm which is located about 4 minutes from the North Shore Mall. It's like a smaller version of Russell Orchards, with farm animals (in pens) pick your own apples and even emus! My daughter loves coming here to visit the "baa-baa's and doo-doo's" but I hadn't really checked out the produce for sale before. The first thing I noticed when I got out of the car was the unbelievably appetizing smell of frying apple cider donuts. I couldn't leave without a half dozen ($5 for 6) and they are worth every penny. Fresh carrots were $1.39 for a bunch of about 5, apples were $1.69 a pound, (the best price out of the 3) and vine ripened tomatoes were $1.99 a pound. I splurged and got a bar of Ipswich Bay Soap Company soap in Tea Tree and Peppermint since Irish Spring is a little harsh on the face. They take debit cards too which is a nice convenience.
All in all, it was worth a little driving around to get a feel for what was going to be the best selection and the best prices. My pick for the day has got to be the Peabody Farmers' Market. It's close, the prices were mid-range and they had a decent variety of fruits and vegetables. I forgot to ask, but my guess is they operate on a cash only basis. If you are making something that you want to taste as fresh as possible, plan your shopping for Tuesday afternoons 1-6pm.
Another alternative that's even closer to home is Jr. Busters which is located just before the Salem Beverly bridge. They are open every day of the week and offer a wider selection of local produce as well as Richardson's Dairy products and a good selection of groceries as well.
