Tell the farmer your cooking plans

“The days of picking up and feeling produce yourself are over in the midst of the pandemic. But the upside in having farmers choose the perfect peach, avocado or pepper is that they know how—and they’re happy to choose a piece to suit your needs. So if, say, you’re not going to cut a cantaloupe for a few days, tell the farmer and have them select a just-right melon that won’t go bad before you’re ready to cut it open.” —Barb Webb