On Sunday I went to my local farmers market.
When I say local, I mean local. I am fortunate to live within walking distance to one of the largest farmers markets in all of California, the land of grow-almost-anything. I am blessed to have such amazing produce within walking distance.
Here’s one small section of the market.
And here’s another section.
I didn’t even capture the fresh food vendors from tacos to locally roasted coffee beans to raw vegan food to green smoothie vendors. It just goes on and on. Next week.
There’s both fresh produce and fresh flowers for sale so it was extra fun making pictures.
I had a field day with my camera and here are some images I captured.
What cute little mango. And super sweet.
Locally bottled avocado oil
An orchid to beat all!
Dozens and dozens of varieties of tomato plants.
Get your fermentation on.
I have an easy recipe and method for fermented veggies on the countertop which I call Sweet and Sour Refrigerator Pickles
One of my favorite shots of the day
Another favorite set of images
Have you ever had squash blossoms? Many people fry them and they are almost a delicacy! Or here are 5 recipes using them.
These flowers were so beautiful in person. I could have taken pictures of them all day!
From my last post on the Barre3 DVD I reviewed, it was fun to hear what workouts you’ve been doing lately. And what workouts you’d like to try next.
And now I’m off to make some Cheater’s Guacamole with the locally grown avocados I have.
And I will wash it down with a Peach Banana Colada Smoothie that I’m going to add some fresh pineapple to!
Questions:
1. Do you have or go to a local farmers market in your area?
Yes, this one! I’ve posted about it in the past here, too.
And in San Diego, if I wanted to drive 20 minutes from me, there is a different market going on in different parts of town, almost every day of the week.
2. What are your favorite things to buy at the farmers market?
I love berries, tomatoes, greens, mangos, and pineapple from the market.
Well, there’s really not anything that I don’t like buying from the market. I have to watch myself so that my eyes aren’t bigger than what we can consume before it spoils because it all looks so good!
3. Do you think it saves you money to buy from the farmers market or not?
I will be honest, I don’t think it’s necessarily cheaper to shop at farmers markets. On some things, yes, it is clearly cheaper, i.e. a huge stalk of broccoli for $1 dollar.
But on other things, say Fuji apples, it’s more expensive for me to buy them at the farmers market than it is to buy organic Fuji apples in the regular grocery store, or at Whole Foods.
And it’s much more expensive to buy farmers market Fuji apples compared to conventional/non-organic regular-grocery-store Fuji apples.
I can also buy a bag of TJ’s organic salad mix for $1.99 which is about half the price of a comparable salad mix from the farmers market.
Also, blueberries are far cheaper at TJ’s. No, they’re not organic or local, but they’re cheaper.
However, there is more to life than money and this is true with food choices, too:
I realize that farming is expensive and supporting local farmers so they can continue to farm is wonderful.
Locally grown food usually tastes far better.
There are positive environmental and ecological impacts of eating locally and seasonally.
There is benefit to one’s body and health to eat locally and seasonally.
The variety and types of food I can eat in San Diego from the market blow grocery store selection away!
I remember those things when I notice things cost more at the farmers market. There’s a reason why.
Talk to me about your markets!
I would be SO excited to go to a Farmer Market like that!
The pickles and the avocado oil – amazing!!
SUCH pretty pictures! I want one of those roses! We have a few local farmers market. My favorite is one right in our town center that just opened up. They have meats, eggs, fruits, veggies, flowers, local food vendors and even a great harvest bread stand! I usually buy fruit and meat for J. I don’t think it saves me money most of the time, but I feel good buying local and organic items!
I’ve only been to my local market once or twice. I was bummed that things cost more. However, if my market were as exciting and diverse as yours, I might make trips a wee bit more regularly.
great pictures! farmer’s markets make for great subjects :)
We have some small, pathetic markets around me, but nothing like yours!
I honestly usually don’t buy the produce from them because it’s insanely more expensive. I do buy fresh baked breads and things like that though b/c I can’t find bread with simple ingredient lists that in the grocery store. It’s hard to balance $ vs. local support sometimes.
My town has a very small farmer’s market. It has a few things, but it’s mostly people with their homemade crafts. A couple of places to get fruits/veggies and then random things like donuts, pretzels and popcorn. I’m totally jealous of yours!!
I love getting veggies there, they do tend to taste so much better. Although, I think I end up spending more money at farmer’s markets than at the store because everything looks so good!
we don’t have good farmer’s markets up here where i live….but good, i mean as expansive as yours….however, i do like to get delivers from local farms….expensive but it supports small farmers…the extra expense to me i look as donating to a good cause….
when we spend time in the santa cruz, ca area which is north of the salinas, monterey bay area, the produce is amazing….the produce that gets up here near the sacramento, davis area, great as well…i feel fortunate to live in CA….we pay the price, literally to live here, but so many perks of living here
yes ive done posts about the cost of living here but that it’s all worth it to me :)
https://www.loveveggiesandyoga.com/2011/04/cost-of-living.html
Your photography is amazing. Everything looks so good at the farmers market.
thanks :)
Anytime I have the chance, I swing by the Durham Farmers Market on Saturday mornings! Most times, I just show up without a plan and pick what seems cheap/delicious/particularly juicy.
I remember my favorite market day, one of the farmers had a few extra peaches at the end of the day and, rather than take them back, he just handed a GIGANTIC one to my friends and I. We split the fruit, passing it around, enjoying the sun and the peach juice getting all over everything, and it was the kind of stuff farmers market dreams are made of!
Beautiful farmers market! I love that one especially :) I try and go to one every week. SOme produce have such great prices, and some are SUPER expensive. If anything avocados, and lemons and even spinach or chard usually have really great prices.
You’re so lucky to live near a large farmer’s market! The colors in your pics are so bright, they look almost unreal. Beautiful! There are farmer’s markets somewhat near me, but it’s still a drive and way more expensive than the store. But when I’m in my college town, the farmer’s market is way cheaper than even Walmart. I guess that’s what happens when you go to college in the middle of a cornfield! ;) Have a good day, Averie!
thanks for the compliments!
That pineapple has your name written all over it! Lovely photos, as usual.
I live in Vermont, and we have amazing farms and local foods to choose from. Every week in the summer there is a great farmers market downtown filled with bursting produce, meats, eggs, breakfast sandwiches, burgers, root beer floats…. ahhh its all so amazing. I notice that the protein is far more expensive for even the same brand you can buy in our local grocery store. A dozen eggs for $5 is hard to rationalize when the same eggs are 3.50 in store, or another brand is $2.50. I try to support when I can, mostly with fresh produce.
You lucky duck! I live in New York and the growing season here has been just awful – so cold and rainy…too rainy. Fields are flooded and it’s impossible to grow anything. The farmer’s markets around here have been very sparce. Hopefully the weather will turn around.
Lovely photos of your market, though! The colors are so vibrant! :)
Love Hillcrest Farmer’s Market. Since I live in Little Italy, I go to the one on Saturday that’s a block from my place.
Have you been to that Mexican vendor at the the Hillcrest market that sells Squash Blossom Tacos? OMG you need to try them if you haven’t!
I get most of my groceries from my co-opt (People’s in OB) and then whatever else at either the farmer’s markets or Whole Foods. Have you been to People’s? It’s vegetarian, local, organic, $15 a year membership, green (solar panels & wind mills), and they have have a sinful hot bar/bakery.
WOW! Summer’s bounty…love the flowers :-)