It's the end of the fresh date season here for this one date grower at my farmers market.
I just bought a pound for $5, while they sell a 4 pound bag of dried dates for $14. It doesn't make sense to me, but no one cared.

A man from the Philippines bought $30 worth and picked off every single one that was ripe, as he only wanted the crunchy ones. The crunchy ones are still sweet but slightly astringent and feel healthy on the teeth. He keeps his refrigerated to avoid ripening

A woman from Damascus was the same. She looked over every bunch and took care not to buy a bunch that had any ripe ones. She said that's how she ate them in Damascus.

These dates are delicious. I had other fresh dates that were not as sweet. Either way, they seem very healthy.

>I just bought a pound for $5, while they sell a 4 pound bag of dried dates for $14. It doesn't make sense to me, but no one cared.

It takes a lot of work to dry them but once dried they can last for a long time and there is a huge supply so it gets cheaper.

Short interesting read from a grower:

[www.localharvest.org]

Khalal dates are still crunchy, like an apple. They then further ripen into the soft (rutab) stage, and then later to the drier, chewy stage we offer in 2/lb boxes. We offer a Mariana (bright yellow) available in August; and Barhis (yellow), in September. The flavor can be on the tart side, pucker your mouth like a persimmon, unless picked very close to ripening, when it becomes a unique and special sweetness. Most will continue to ripen into the softer stage, a melt-in-your mouth, honey-like sweetness. We ship within hours of picking, a 5-lb. bunch you can hang in your kitchen,porch, or sukkah, to pluck at and eat, direct from the palm... Certified organic , produced by members of the United Farm Workers.

BARHI dates, originally from the Iran/Iraq area, Basra and Khoramshah, are nicknamed "honey balls" for the round shape and liquid honey-like texture and flavor in the rutab stage. Barhis are the premium date in the Middle East eaten in the khalaal stage, with a unique "pucker/sweet" combination. The blush is turning from green to yellow, first fruit showing brown tips on our palms. FIrst pick 8/29, final pick for khalaal stage, 9/26/2017,

Marianas, our first dates to ripen each summer, are a locally (California) developed variety, quite sweet in the khalal stage, maturing into a buttery sweet flavor in the rutab stage. First pick 8/14/17, 1st market, 8/20, over, 8/23, ripening very quickly, khalaal sold out