The farmer who didn't get out of the game: fresh vegetables and at the end of the season “Pumpkins and tomatoes did the best”

During this period, the vegetable growers put the last vegetables from the greenhouses and solariums on the market, and the prices are even better than in the height of the season. The market, which operated two days a week during the hot season, closes its stalls.

Marin Stoica would still have goods for sale for the coming weeks PHOTO: A. Mitran

The floating market in the municipality of Slatina, which operated during the warm season, during the weekend, in the immediate vicinity of the Youth Park, closes to make way for the Christmas market.

On Sunday, November 16, the relatively few residents of Slătăn who went out to do their shopping by buying directly from the producers found Marin Stoica, from Grădinari, Olt, the vegetable grower who supplied them with vegetables all year, “on the job”. “You saved the market, basically, because we each come with certain products, but you always had diversity”, remarked one of the stand colleagues. In the flying market, only three or four producers remained on the last hundred meters, who sold honey, cow telemea, cabbage and among the last vegetables. The market is relatively far from the big stores, but in the summer, when the temperatures are very high, or in late autumn, when they are fighting the cold, there are fewer shoppers, preferring the convenience of the supermarket.

Nea Marin came on Sunday around 10:00 a.m., in a hurry to unload the goods from the rickety van. “I come from the lower market, we have it there too” the farmer explains the rush with which he races from the stand to the car and back.

There are customers who do not believe that the tomatoes are from the producer's farm PHOTO: A. Mitran

They barely manage to arrange the boxes when the first buyers are interested in the price. “I didn't get to put a price on them, I didn't even finish downloading“, the vegetable grower explains why buyers don't already have the answer.

He doesn't even finish unloading and putting the chrysanthemum bouquets among the vegetable crates, because he runs out of them. “I bought them for the look, but if people ask for them, you can't not give them”again feels the need to clear things up. The same thing happened to him, on other Sundays, with the pepper stretched on the string. “I also brought it for the appearance and a customer told me that she won't leave until I give it to her. I felt sorry for one part, but if you were satisfied…”we continue the discussion.

Marin Stoica placed his goods as he knew best, to be as easy to spot as possible PHOTO: AM

We are talking between drops, because although there is no influx of customers, the few who come ask for clarification before taking their own bags and choosing their vegetables, like at the supermarket. What doesn't happen like at the store is the “bargain”.

“How many cucumbers do you have?“. “7 lei, ma'am.” “And don't leave anymore? The small 7 and the big ones the same? That they are cheaper in the supermarket. And they are not that big”. The farmer tries not to haggle. “If you don't like…”, he answers, in a low voice, to the lady. “Well, I like them, I really wanted them, but don't leave them at a price anymore?”, the client is not left. And finally leaves with the net of cucumbers bought for 5 lei/kg, in addition to other nets with tomatoes, peppers, greens, at a total cost of less than 20 lei.

“I would also take cabbage. Are you still coming?”ponders another customer, looking undecided whether to get white cabbage or red cabbage. Marin Stoica sells cabbage for 2 lei/kg, pepper for 7 lei/kg, tomatoes, as good-looking as summer, for 8 lei/kg, pumpkins for 7 lei/kg, leeks for 6 lei/bundle, pumpkin for pie for 2 lei/kg.

“The greens, where did I put the greens, because I didn't take them out?”, the vegetable grower asks aloud, still bringing the crates of goods from the car. The bunch of parsley, not three strands, as you can find in the markets, but a healthy bunch, costs 2 lei. It also has green onions, 2 lei/bundle or 3 lei/2 bundles, but also lettuce, also 2 lei/piece. Greens, lettuce, green onions and moon radishes are what will bring him money until after New Year's Eve. “We've started to harvest the lettuce now, as well as the onions. We'll have more of these, but the tomatoes and peppers are almost finished. If it still gives a healthy frost, that's it. The donut stays like this, it doesn't turn red from now on.” adds the vegetable grower.

“We also sell in the supermarket”

The Stoica family exploits 50 hectares of land, the largest area being cultivated. They have a hectare of solariums and they also grew vegetables in the field, almost another hectare. He also delivers vegetables to several supermarket chains, but nea Marin prefers the market by far, because he likes to chat, and in the flying market, between the traders – who don't really compete, having different goods – friends have been made. In a short time they made loyal customers, buyers appreciating the quality of the products.

Customers could get everything they needed from a single vegetable grower PHOTO: AM

The greengrocer's presence was a win for the flying market as it was the only one with such a wide variety of vegetables week after week. Peppers – fat, kapia, donuts, hot peppers -, cabbage, cauliflower, carrots, green beans, potatoes, pumpkins, pumpkins, garlic, cucumbers, tomatoes, gogones, dried onions, green onions, leeks, celery, greens, apples – were still in the vegetable garden's offer on Sunday.

“Zucchini and tomatoes did best. I think only one customer bought three bags of pumpkins from me, they eat the pumpkin and spinach grandchildren.” says the man. It was most likely the last weekend they could sell at the flea market, because the weather has turned cold, the customers have thinned out, and on top of that, it's the season when the merchants will prepare their houses for the Christmas market. “If it were still open it would be good, I would still have goods”, says the farmer who, in full season, had a generous selection of fruits – apples, pears, figs, plums, etc. – for sale, because it also has an orchard that it intends to expand with a quince plantation.

The client also bought the “design” flowers PHOTO: A. Mitran

“The best was at the Harvest Day (ed. – organized, for three days, in the center of the municipality). I saw different people, different people, with purchasing power, it was felt then. And the pickles were sold then, dozens of barrels, when I said, look, this is what you have to do”said the vegetable grower.

There are customers who want more Romanian goods than the convenience of the supermarket FOTo: AM

The most difficult thing, say the vegetable growers, is not to extend the season as long as possible into the winter, but to convince the buyers that they are Romanian vegetables, because many – least of all the loyal customers – question this fact when they discover tomatoes on the stalls in December as well.