I had a busy day out today as it was time to restock on raw milk.  This means a two hour drive in each direction, but today was the fastest trip so far.  Often when I get there they don’t have enough gallons already bottled for the amount I need and I wait for them to fill up more for me.  But today they had 20 available and I only needed 18 so I was in and out in a jiffy. 

Then I stopped off in a grocery store a mile or so away.  Last time I went, I got three cases of organic plain yogurt for $6 a case (50 cents for a quart size container).  That was super great for me since I’ve been using lots more yogurt now that I soak my grains and flours.  (More details about that another time.)   At that time they were overstocked on the yogurt and wanted to move it quickly before it got to the expiration date, and even though I knew it wasn’t likely I’d find the same deal again, I figured it was worth it to quickly pop in and see if there were any bargains, especially since it wasn’t out of my way a bit.  I also noticed last time that they have some of the bulk grains that I usually get at a different bulk foods store an hour away – so I figured, if I could save myself extra driving, all the better.

They did actually have a super sale on plain yogurt, but not a brand I used.  But I noticed they had cherries on sale for $1.19 a pound.  Who sees prices like that?  I never do.  So I figured I would buy some.  Then I noticed there were cases of cherries next to the display of loose cherries – each marked with a 6.  I couldn’t imagine that could be a price, so I checked with someone working there.  She told me it was – I couldn’t believe it – $6 for 11 pounds of cherries!?!  How was that possible?  Same situation – there was an overstock at a large grocery and they passed it on to this small grocery, who passed it on to customers at these ridiculous prices to get it sold before they can’t be sold. 

So there was no way I could walk out without a couple of cases.  I would have bought more but I don’t have a cherry pitter (which would make it possible to pit them and freeze them) and I don’t think something ends up being a bargain if it rots before you can use it.  They are fantastic – hardly any with soft spots, sweet and crunchy.  Mmm….

I filled the rest of my cart with a 50 lb bag of potatoes, 30 lb of whole wheat flour (as backup for times that I don’t have time to grind wheat), 10 lb. steel cut oats, 10 lb popcorn, 3 or 4 lb. slivered almonds, and 15 lb. cornmeal.  It was $60 for everything.  Definitely a productive shopping trip.  🙂

Avivah