Better in a Basket

Today I was in Studio City Farmer's market. It was my first time back in quite a few months, and many of the early-bird regulars were firm yet polite: "You're back! Where have you been? I keep telling people about you! We've been looking for you!" and when I said I've been in Palisades on Sundays, "We want you in this market." It was very hot today, but we still had great sales, and I will be back as long as there is space for us.

On my way in, I noticed an herb vendor. Now most every market has an herb vendor, and I keep walking, but this one had a trio of herbs in a basket, dusted with fine mulch. He had a set of 4 such baskets on the walk in a nice grouping, but by the time I returned for a photo, they were gone. But I got this lovely shot of the 4 baskets in the shelf, and I took two of them. 3 x $2 for the herbs and $1 for the basket. Sold! I would put a ribbon on it and Rogers-ize it. But for the farmer's market, an unadorned basket is perfect, especially for $7.

In France, most vendors display their produce in baskets, a few in wooden crates and occassionally in plastic crates. I have used this mushroom shot many times (R's photography), and it shows the effortless way the French display....it's not contrived, it's second nature. From a display standpoint, if you didn't know, everything looks better in basket. Want to get them to buy, put it in a basket.