I live two blocks from the local farmer's market. Lots of fresh 'southwestern' goodies, including a large variety of chilies.

I've visited the one in Hartsdale and Bronxville on various Saturdays. Hartsdale is kind of small, but the produce is pretty good. Bronxville attracts a wider array of products and some of the meat and breads I've bought there rival anything I've had elsewhere. I try to take advantage of them when I can, but items can be pricey.

I just got back from Seattle, where I enjoyed the "Farm Fridays" section of Pike Place market, plus all the flower vendors. Sunday's Ballard Organic market was wonderful, too -- I came home with a 2-oz packet of morels for about half what I'd pay here in NYC. These are definitely local folks.

The farm stands at my local once-a-week Greenmarket in NYC are also local -- when it's not in season, it's not to be found. Just over a dozen stalls, but a great neighborhood resource, with folks from all walks of life snapping up the good fresh stuff, and a trio playing music. I love to go with my camera for great people-watching.

I wonder what market cpx is referring to? The Greenmarket system here is supposedly pretty strict about forbidding "foreign" produce.

And on this subject, the NY Times this week ran an article about a farmer who was banned from the Greenmarkets for selling products not produced on his own farm. His products have a good reputation for quality, too.

It wasn't the Greenmarket, but one by the world trade center.

Ah -- I always thought that was part of the Greenmarket system but the Greenmarket website doesn't list it. Five of the 27 Greenmarkets in Manhattan, however, are in Tribeca.

Eastern Market on Capitol Hill is fun, although I think only one or two of the vendors are actually farmers. My favorites are the cheese shop and the crepe cart. The crab cakes at the Market Lunch are also popular, though I've never tried them. If you're visiting in town, you can get here by taking the Orange or Blue line on the Metro to Eastern Market station. Exit the station and walk two blocks up 7th Street.

Takoma Park, Maryland, also has a nice farmer's market. They have more real producers there and also more organic produce. They are also one of the few farmer's markets I've found where you can use your credit card (especially appealing to miles collectors). To use your credit card, you go to a booth they've set up and purchase a set dollar amount. They then give you tokens you can use with any of the vendors at the farmer's market.

Not sure if it was an official farmers market, but folks in the office
called it that, and I think it was just once a week.

One day I went into work very early.. I saw some "freshly frozen"
vegetables were being unloaded from a truck.. hence my earlier comment.

I don't know how long ago this was... as a guess this was an official Greenmarket before 9/11, but at some point after the PATH station reopened an opportunistic market popped up. As I mentioned, it's not in the official Greenmarket directory.

A year or so ago I was looking for chanterelle mushrooms. I asked the mushroom lady at my local weekly Greenmarket if she ever had them, since there weren't any on display. She looked both ways and then leaned to me and murmured that she wasn't supposed to sell them because (I can't remember the reason -- either they had been shipped in or the quantity wasn't sufficient to stock) but she did have what I was looking for :cool: (they were fresh and delicious, even if their carbon footprint was oversized). Point being that the vendors really are careful about following Greenmarket rules to maintain their eligibility... but that private deals might take place now and then.

And now the best part of summer has begun: the local organic heirloom tomatoes are in. The BEST!!!

Southern California, not suprisingly, has some great farmers markets...

I'd argue that the best is Santa Barbara's Farmer's Market downtown on Saturday... (there are markets around the SB area literally every day of the week) ...largely because the selection of fruits & vegies is amazing (40-60 booths with nothing but food and flowers)(NO schlocky crafts!) and even in the dead of winter, there are still an interesting assortment of fruits and vegies.

Plus it can be paired with an early morning trip to Santa Barbara Fisherman's Market, about a mile away in SB's small harbor. While it's official time is 7:30am - 9:30 am....don't believe it. It really starts when the first boat gets in, which can be as early as 6.... And by 8:30, the best of the catch has already left with SB's best sous chefs and the local oriental population, whom have been known to seriously scrum over particularly good seafood. In season you'll find red snapper, sole, shark, sea bass, croaker, halibut, spot prawns, grass shrimp, spiny lobsters, rock & spider crabs, oysters, sea snails, mussels and red sea urchins...

Definitely try to hit 1 a weekend during the summer. During the spring a small one started up downtown by the GW/Foggy Bottom metro and I got some great lettuce there.

Closer to my house there are multiple ones on the weekends in different locations. I've had awesome peaches, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, nectarines, corn, lamb sausage, kielbasa, tomatoes, basil, fresh made mozzarella, lettuce, scallions, green beans, apples and potatoes.

Right now is definitely peach season and they are delicious.

I'm rarely home on weekends, but today I hit the Farmer's Market in downtown Dallas and was lucky enough that it was the right weekend to find a local organic/free range farm there. (They are at the Market every other weekend) I bought 2 half legs of lamb, a lovely beef roast and organic raw milk cheddar and feta.

I also visited the Fish Guy and bought some Alaskan Salmon and some haddock. It was just too hot today to roam the stalls looking for organic produce so I tucked my goodies into my insulated Trader Joe's bag and high-tailed it home.

Had Salmon tonight cooked in a foil tent with onion, garlic, and fresh rosemary drizzled with olive oil. Yum!

There is a farmers market in the park across the street from my apartment in NYC (47th between 1st and 2nd ave). Not big on fruit and veggies as I do not cook but the bananna bread and other bakery items are to die for.

The Big Santa Monica Farmer's Market on Wednesday has everything, including about 50 thousand people. Yet, I still occasionally frequent that one.
My favorite Farmer's Market is at Pico and Cloverfield in Santa Monica on Saturday mornings. Parking is easy..best of the Wednesday purveyors are there and it is all very low key. I head straight to Summerhill Farms for their stone fruit and heirloom tomatoes (they sell to Spago). I then head to Kenter Canyon Farms for their greens--on to the berry-guys for their amazing black,blue and rasberries.
On to Lily for fresh eggs..
Next to last stop is Gloria: Gloria has the most delicious strawberries, green beans, broccoli, fresh corn and beefsteak tomatoes plus a bouquet of basil for $1.00.
Last stop is flower lady: Our home is now filled with a variety of Lisianthus.
Pico and Cloverfield is my favorite Farmer's Mkt. Oh, did I mention the guy with the hand-churned sweet butter? If anyone wants to find me at 9:00am on Saturday, this is where I am.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showt...hlight=farmers
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showt...hlight=farmers
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showt...ghlight=farmer

:)