My experience growing up in a rural area was that you could shop during the last hour before closing on different nights until you run into the manager who has to clear out the old produce etc. Make friends with that person and come back on the night they work, and they can probably get you good deals on whatever is about to be tossed. YMMV, and of course you have to be a bit of a night owl to make it work, but those were the best produce deals I've ever seen.

I think you don't pay them directly. For that much money, you can throw a party good enough to attract nobility, and when they've had enough to drink, the lords will start dancing voluntarily.