I do a lot of traveling within Texas and just got back from several towns in "the valley." There are soooo many market stands along the roadsides with some great prices. Oranges are $1.95 for a 10 pound bag!
But I bought some melons that resemble the Honeydew, I think they were Sprite Melons for sure, but didn't even notice until I got home that they were grown in Guatamala!
A bit disappointed as I thought all this abundance in produce down there and for cheap prices was due to the fact that it was grown right there.....
Cheap Valley Produce
Wow on the Oranges Aimee! I love making fresh squeezed Orange juice, but it gets pricey with the amount of Oranges you have to buy. I would love a deal like that.
I need to go to the Dallas Farmer's Market. I haven't been out there this year. The prices are not nearly as good, but it's nice to find some local produce.
I know about the oranges right!!! WOW.
Most of the markets are furthest down, like Brownsville. Once you get to Corpus the prices at the road markets are about the same as the grocery stores.
Aimee, you came to the valley and you didn't come see me?????
Forgot to add, we do have lots of fresh local produce, but some of the local stands buy at the market and a lot of that produce comes from Mexico and S/A.(south America).
Avacados and Mangos are cheap right now, they're digging onions, picking cantaloupes and watermelons should be in soon. I saw a guy selling fresh corn from his field outside San Benito.
Cala,
Didn't know you were there!!!! LOL. We (DH and I) travel together for work. We visit the following towns down south for work every couple months or so:
Laredo, McAllen, Mission, Weslaco, Brownsville, Harlingen and Corpus. I think that's it.
I tried the melon he'd said was "real good" like he'd tried any of them (ha!) but it was just so-so. It wasn't very sweet but perfectly ripe for eating. It is sooooooo hard to get good melon. I've had 1 good cantaloupe this year. Another we opened up had a pussy mold spot inside?! I never know just when it's perfect to cut them for eating. So I think we'll just try to grow our own from now on. =)
I will have to keep an eye out for good melons. I know we got some excellent ones locally last summer. I'm like you, I never can tell which ones are good, but DH is pretty good at picking them.
I work in San Benito which is the city that joins Harlingen. I live east of Harlingen, north of Brownsville, over toward Laguna Vista/Port Isabel. I go to Brownsville almost every day with work. I sometimes go to McAllen, Mission and Weslaco but haven't lately because we've been so busy with Brownsville.
Hey--let me know how those sprite melons taste...I got some seeds for those in a trade.
DMJ,
DH grew them one year they were great! They are supposed to be one of the sweetest melons. But I am unsure if these from the valley were. You will have to grow yours!