I ventured out in the rain for the last Farmer’s Market a few hours ago, sure that the crowd would be a light one.

Uh, no. Oregonians are a die-hard sort when it comes to farmer’s marketing in the rain, it seems.

While there were more craft vendors than I’ve seen before (filling in the gaps for the farmers who’ve already ended their stints there), there were also plenty of deals to be had. The apple and pear woman was doing a brisk business, with no fewer than six people in line at any given time. I scored pippins, comice pears, a jonagold or two, and a kind or two I can’t remember (there’s a crisp or two now on my weekend baking agenda) – all for 89 cents a pound!

The squash vendors also had some great sales going – I lugged home over six pounds of assorted winter squashes (including one small pumpkin) which will become roast squash-apple-pear soup in the next day or two.

But the best deal of all? Huge peppers, in assorted colors – 3 for a dollar.

Goodbye, Farmer’s Market. The produce I’ll see on my grocery store shelves will seem anemic and/or overpriced in comparison these next few months. (I can’t imagine willingly waiting in line in the rain for pears at Freddy’s, for example.) Plus, the shopping atmosphere just isn’t the same at, say, Safeway or even New Seasons.

I’ll miss you – but I’ll be back (with my sturdy cloth shopping bags, of course) next year…!