This morning was a great reminder why we enjoy visiting our local farmers’ markets, even when we don’t need produce. With so much traveling lately and a garden exploding with more produce than we can pass out to friends, neighbors and mailmen, we haven’t been going to the farmers’ market very often.
But early this morning we decided to head out because we missed visiting some of our favorite farmers and vendors. Best of all, it was another great learning experience because we saw so many wonderful new vegetables that we’ve never seen before.
Even at 8 am, the energy pulsed from the morning market, filled with hungry customers and busy produce stands. Just getting to see some familiar faces of the farmers and explore new varieties of fruits and vegetables (even though we’ve been hundreds of times, it’s amazing to seen new stuff popping up in the stalls) is worth the early morning trek.
What a great way to spend an early Saturday morning (and start our working weekend), especially during the peak of Summer!
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{ 37 comments… read them below or add one }
We went to the market today. I always have a good time and come home with some fun finds! Today we got the best Israeli melon. Sooo juicy and delish!
Maria- ooh, Israeli melon sounds wonderful!
Hey! I recognize these folks! The last guy photographed in your series is who I call my “avocado man.” He’s from Riverside (my hometown) a savant when it comes to avocadoes.
The other one (in overalls) always gives me his spare garlic.
We always enjoy strolling through the market, even though we may not “need” anything. It’s always fun to see what’s goin’ on.
Great photos!
Cheers,
[K]
Kim- Yes, the avocado man is a sweetheart and has the best avocados and lemons!
Hey is that the Irvine farmers market? The Irvine one is HUGE!! I can spend hours there on Saturdays!!
Whitney- yes! it was the Irvine Farmers market and it’s our favorite. The best selection of unique Asian vegetables in Southern California.
Great photos – loved the tote bag.
beautiful market! ann
Gorgeous images!!!
I wish Las Vegas had more of these grand farmer’s markets!
What an amazing farmer’s market! Are those long, serpentine green vegetables actually cucumbers?
Cookin- yes, those are Persian cucumbers and although they felt soft, they were very crunchy and sweet. Fabulous.
That is amazing! Incredible and more than fantastic photos!
Yum! My favorite part of farmer’s markets has to be the voyeurism. Looking at delicious food can keep me occupied for hours. The only vegetable that I can’t recognize out of these photos is the red stemmed one next to the guy bending over with the carrots
I think the red stemmed one is Sorrel leaves. They have a tangy taste and there are tons of South Indian recipes using them.
We used to go to the farmer’s markets around San Jose for the same reasons – not because we needed any more produce but because we wanted to see the farmers, the produce, and the people.
Okay, I’m ignorant–what are those yellow, bumpy things next to the melons?
Told ya there’s always stuff you don’t normally see. Those are a type of bitter melon. Just like the name sounds, they have a bitter bite!
As we’ve come to expect…your photos are beautiful and make everything come to life. I can almost taste those plums, but if I was in doubt; I must admit…I love the sign!
What gorgeous photos! I am so jealous, we have nothing like that here. We do have a farmer’s market, but there’s only 2 very small produce stands, and lots of useless junk, no good local produce, and I’m in Florida, I don’t get it.
We will have a few sad markets over here too, depending on the day of the week and the community which supports it. It has been fantastic watching this market explode from the 12 or 15 stall market it was maybe 10 years ago to the thriving behemoth it is today.
My favorite thing to do – just walking a farmer’s market through makes me happy!
Where is this market? The one closed to my house (Irvine FM) sucks. Sad lineup of produce. This looks awesome.
Rasa Malaysia- This is the Irvine farmers market at UCI on Saturday morning. We’ve found the best selection of Asian produce of all the farmers markets in Southern California.
So beautiful! You are so lucky to have such a wonderful Farmers Market.
I have to say that the farmers markets across the country are getting better and better by the year. Farmers are growing greater quantities of heirloom breeds, more people are supporting local produce and eager to try new varieties. It’s a wonderful cycle, and I can’t wait what the markets have in store in the future.
Thank you for sharing your trip! I just LOVE exploring different Farmer’s Markets where ever I go. I’m getting to know the markets in the San Diego area, but use to love visiting the ones in Orange County and LA when I was living up there.
I love that you captured the faces of the Market too. The people are a lot of the reason I go!
Jessi- The Saturday Irvine Market at UCI is great for OC. And for LA, the Wednesday Santa Monica farmers market is great!
One of lifes simple pleasures is to visit the farmers market. It is like a present each time you go – never knowing what gifts you will find. Your photos are amazing along with the treasures of fresh fruits and veggies. I visit the San Francisco Ferry Building Farmers Market once a month and look forward to it each time. Great post!!
I thought those photos looked familiar!!! You captured my beloved pluots – came home with a big bag of them yesterday – they are addictive!!! Diane and Todd – could you do a post or posts featuring some of the asian vegetables??? I always look at them at the FM but am never quite sure what to do with them and would love to learn how best to prepare them!!! That would be wonderful!!!
Nancy- that’s great idea, we’d love to write a post about the asian veggies next time!
I love all your photos, and I especially like the geometry of all those baby boy choy stems. Who knew greens could be so beautiful?
These photos are gorgeous! Please consider posting them on http://www.RealTimeFarms.com to help promote the Irving Farmers Market!! We’re trying to every farmers market across the country represented in images!
Oh dear, this post and all of its lovely photos filled with fresh market finds and smiling faces make me miss Cali so much. I adore that shopping bag too. Cheers.
Aw, you got a picture of Farmer Mike! I just started going to the Irvine FM and a good friend recommended him for his spinach and other dark greens. Wonderful stuff. Maybe I’ll run into you guys over there one day.
Dianne & Todd! These are happy-making photos. I want those figs and am having serious Plum envy. Most of the Southern Appalachian farmers near Asheville have been building up their stone fruit plantings the last 2–3 years and are still only able bring only small quantities to market—and only the early risers like you guys get them.
I am very jealous!!! Our farmer’s markets in North Dakota do not look anything like that. Yours looks amazing and I would definitely get up on Saturday morning for that!
Nothing beats a market walk to jumpstart the day. Here’s one post I’d like to share, on the most famous and most photographed market (wet and dry) in Kelantan, on the east coast of Peninsula Malaysia. The traders at this market also sell cooked products aside from fresh produce, and various household apparatus, dried goods, and more.
http://www.j2kfm.com/kelantan-pasar-besar-siti-khadijah/