I went to the Headhouse Farmers’ Market this morning, with rhubarb, asparagus and strawberries on the brain and happily, I found all three. I bought the stalks and stems you see above from Culton Organics. It’s a farm out in Lancaster County and in recent years, the farmer/owner Tom Culton has developed something of a devoted following for his gorgeous produce and quirky, heirloom choices.

My issue is that I paid $27 for 2 1/2 pounds of rhubarb and 1 3/4 pounds of asparagus. When the women helping me told me how much I owed, I really and truly thought I had heard her wrong. Part of the issue is that Culton Organics writes their prices on pieces of slate that are then artfully tucked amidst the produce. So they’re hard to read until you’re right up on them, which doesn’t help with planning. What’s more, though I didn’t realize it until after I had my check-out heart attack, they priced things in quarter and half pound increments this week.

The problem is that I’m accustomed to seeing things priced in pounds (as most of us are). So when I saw that the sign under the rhubarb said $3.50 I assumed that was the price per pound. Only that was the price per half pound. Thus the huge bill.

This is the end for me and Culton Organics. I can find both rhubarb and asparagus elsewhere for far less.