Thrill of the hunt: True bargain hunters test their mettle at the flea market

By DEBBIE CROFT

Exiting the gate to the flea market was a young couple carrying just one purchase: a large pack of paper towels. An older couple pulled a small cart behind them, filled with produce. And a little girl in a stroller played with a brightly colored plastic whirligig. Hmm... Not exactly what some would call "treasures." But still, the idea of hunting for bargains in booths and tents or the back of a truck has quite an appeal for many shoppers today.

Whether it's called a flea market, swap meet or a country antiques fair, sometimes it amounts to a lot of time rummaging through someone else's "junk." You'd think that civilized folks would have better things to do with their time.

Yet, since the beginning of time, and in practically every country across the globe, most shopping has been done just this way. Picture merchants traveling by caravan across Middle Eastern deserts, their camels laden with clanging pots, clinking trinkets and rich hand-woven fabrics.

At South American bazaars, booths line the narrow village streets where men and women call out to the passers-by, enticing them to buy their plump grains, ripe tropical fruits or freshly baked sweet breads for the mid-day meal.

And in Paris suburbs, dating back to the 17th century, make-shift, open-air markets began as temporary stalls among the fields where rag pickers exchanged their findings (from Parisian's garbage piles) for a small sum. Over time, the undesirables were chased out of the city walls to neighboring villages. And eventually, with the acquisition of better merchandise, the traders were able to attract French collectors and antique dealers looking for bargains.

Here in California's central San Joaquin Valley, weekly flea markets are often a regular stop for purchasing grocery items. One couple, who shops fairly often said, "We come one or two times a month. It's a nice thing to do together on a Saturday morning." The wife added, "We look for produce. What's available here comes from the Valley, and we like that." Her husband nodded and said, "We bought a dresser once, but mostly we come for the fruits and vegetables."

And they certainly had a lot of produce to choose from. Down every aisle between the booths were tables piled high with juicy red strawberries, chilies, tomatoes, bananas, pistachios, ginger root and peppers in all shapes and sizes.

Sylvia Geniesse shops here, too. "This flea market is growing. I used to come as a girl, and there was hardly anything." She also helps her friend, Martha Ixta, set up merchandise. "The prices here are so much lower than in the stores."

Another shopper agreed. "Flea markets have changed. I grew up in San Jose, and the flea markets there were dusty, open places with nothing worth buying. But look at all this stuff."

Besides the produce, there was quite an assortment of merchandise: bikes, appliances, tools, auto accessories, electronics, fabric, clothing, jewelry, furniture, toys and dolls, toiletries and housewares.

"Good morning" George Thomas called out in a friendly greeting to those walking by his stand. More produce covered his tables, along with fresh eggs. "We have a special permit to sell the eggs," his wife, Anna, said. She's been selling for 50 years, and when her husband retired, he joined her. "The grandchildren help us, too."

At Martha Vega's table, jars filled with raw honey and containers of golden honeycomb looked as good as they tasted. "There's wild blossom, orange blossom, and sage blossom (from mountain flowers). My brother is a bee keeper, and I bring the honey here to sell," she said.