I Am A Shopper - The Mar Vista Farmers' Market

One of the perks of living in southern California is that it is possible to find a Farmers' Market within a five mile radius of our home, every day of the week.  Today, after reading an article in a recent LA Times, we decided to check out the Mar Vista Farmers' Market just off Venice Blvd.  Three streets are blocked off and filled with stalls selling produce, fruit, flowers, nuts as well as prepared foods.

Mar Vista Farmers' Market

While you might think a Farmers' Market by any other name is still a Farmers' Market, each one has it's own flavor and vibe.  Some of the unique aspects of Mar Vista is a special service they provide to dog owners.  Since dogs are not permitted in the market area itself, one stall at the entrance is set up for "dog watching"....a safe friendly place where you can park your pet while you shop.  The volunteers work for tips only and it is even possible to arrange to have your pooch walked in the nearby neighborhood while you shop.  I also heard there is a bike valet there for bikers who have no place to safely park their bikes, but I did not see it.

Park Your Pet!

It is not unusual to see a local politician pressing the flesh like Janice Hahn, who is running for our newly vacated Congressional seat.

We have our regular routine.  Start in one spot walking up and down the front of the stalls to get a feel for what is in season this week and what the prices are.  Then we retrace our steps to make purchases.  It is days like this that I wish I were a talented painter...to capture the colors and vibrancy of all the items on display.

Tomatoes are beginning to show up and we decided to purchase two kinds for a taste test later:  an heirloom Purple Cherokee and a Shady Lady Hydroponically grown.  Homeboy Industries Bakery had a stall also and we bought a loaf of rye bread with currants that looked wonderful.

Homeboy Bakery

Citrus abounded and we bought Cara Cara and Navel oranges, two lush lemons and some Blood Oranges for an Olive Oil and Orange cake recipe I want to try.

This is the perfect time for strawberries.  The farmers come in from the Oxnard fields and the berries are so deliciously sweet.  They are smaller than the strawberries on steroids that you can find throughout the year...you know the ones...huge, dry and often with big white shoulders.  These smaller gems are red clear through and are lush and succulent.  I got a three pack of the wonderful Caramosa variety and we are having them with some sparkling wine before dinner.

What we bought...see the two types of tomatoes!

Jay's job is to keep track of me and to carry the produce bag.  His reward after the shopping is done is a treat...today we bought two taco's from Larry's Grill.

There is good news and bad news to Farmers' Markets.  I feel like breaking into song with the words..."How ya gonna keep them in the "supermarket" after they've seen the "Farmers' Market."  The good news is that the produce is so ready to be eaten, so prime, so seasonal that it leads to the bad news...I find myself dissatisfied with produce at the major grocery stores and will go without before I will settle for the produce that is lacking in taste and texture.

We appreciate the relationship that exists between the farmers and the "city folk."  Last year we attended a Panel discussion in Santa Monica where various farmers talked about their farms.  We realized that the Farmers' Markets provide an niche marketplace for the farmers who wants to make a living growing produce but are too small to compete in the large distribution chains.  So they pack up their goods in the wee hours of the mornings and set out to the city.  Here is a delightful video, worth the 7 minutes to watch, about A Tale of Two Carrots that was recently posted to the SlowFoodLA website:

A Tale of Two Carrots from Sustainca on Vimeo.

So I raise my eyes and glass in gratitude that I live in the "land of fruits and nuts...and vegetables!" Salute!