Concerning artichokes this is a very good year in Spain, crop started earlier October-November due to plenty of rain at the beginning of the crop which has kept plants tender also due to mild winter with no heavy frosts. There are plenty of good artichokes and prices are quite competitive. The weather in Spain has been cold the last few days, so if there are any freezes, this could reduce the harvest and drive prices up. For this reason, this is a good time to buy.