Except for the fact that many of the large supermarket chains have the farmer put the vegetables into the boxes that are used in displays. Even more the farmers have to buy the boxes and are charged a rental fee. The world of supermarkets and how they deal with their suppliers is truly screwed up.

> The farmer has to box up their produce in retail sized bits instead of shipping a truck sized load for someone else to do that. They also have to pay someone to man a store, handle returns, etc.

We're able to get fresh milk from a local farm. It's (literally) sold ten steps from where it's milked, you can hear - and smell - the cows in the building.

It comes from a chilled stainless steel vessel with a spigot, you bring your own bottle and serve yourself, and as for payment processing ... there's an honesty box.

That’s why “farmer direct” often has you doing the bulk of the pick work.

Never heard or seen that here. They still have their pickers (and butcher), they just don't have an intermediary come take it at prenegotiated prices which then sells it to some grocer, they just sell it direct in their own shop. Meat is frozen, the rest fresh and on shelves.

Or the least practical packaging as with a CSA.

Probably depends upon how exactly it's done. Our local farms let us come out and pick our own food. They weigh it at the end and charge us based on that. It's cheaper than anywhere else. And fun for the kids.