The unusually warm weather in SoCal has made my backyard strawberry start fruiting quite early this year…
4 Likes
Question for those who have regularly been going to farmers markets for years.
Were they ever more cheaper than grocery stores? Besides freshness and quality isn’t the appeal also no middle man for extra $$$??
3 Likes
It still is cheaper than the grocery for an equivalent product, eg, Harry’s are 30% more at Bristol. $2 for a bunch of Kenter Canyon herbs at the market vs $3 for a smaller clamshell. I don’t expect cottage or small scale producers to out compete industrial ag on price
When we lived in SLC, there was a time during the egg shortage when pastured eggs were cheaper than supermarket eggs. The rancher’s nephew would put out a cooler at dawn and payment was by the honor system. I’m not holding my breath around here.
6 Likes
+1 to this. If we’re actually talking equivalent product, you might get the same price or better at the farmers market. Otherwise, I’m expecting pricing in the same range, but slightly more expensive than most supermarkets. Most of the time, though, I’m looking for stuff that I can’t easily find at a supermarket. Peads and Barnett pork is not really available in supermarkets and it is in no way comparable to commercial pork, so it’s not really meaningful to compare the price which is probably 5-10x the same cut in a supermarket. Melons from Weiser Farms aren’t at all like commercial melons (not even the same varietals) and are almost always more expensive.
Commonly available stuff like carrots, onions, celery, parsley, etc. normally won’t match supermarket pricing, and I personally still buy a lot of that when I go to the supermarket for other things.
9 Likes
No major changes in availability recently BUT there is now someone selling coffee at the Wednesday SMFM and I do not care that it is instant coffee because it is there
1 Like
Same spot they used to sell coffee?
Just an FYI for those who may benefit from this, Peads and Barnett is available at LA Grocery and Cafe. Obviously they don’t have the full variety of choice you get directly from Peads and Barnett at a farmers market, but they have sausages and chops.
8 Likes
Just kind of at the corner at the intersection of 2nd and Arizona
2 Likes
Were they good and what area of California were they from?
1 Like
Gaytan farms they have been selling half a boxes for 20 dollars they are from riverside. This week is not as good as 2 weeks ago but better than last week. All of them have been very sweet though and a great deal compared to the 10-12 dollar big boxes they sell at Costco.
3 Likes
I’ve been getting seascapes from Harry’s for a month and they’re great
4 Likes
Is Cara Cara orange season? I saw quite a few at the FM’s today (and also bought a few). I don’t normally pay much attention to oranges, so I have no idea what the season for different varieties are.
Tail end with a marked drop-off in quality. Jan/Feb tends to be peak.
2 Likes
Cara cara has been weird this 2026 season. I am still seeing/tasting some really peak specimens right now, at the end of March! #OrangeaSpheresCausingMarchMadness
2 Likes
I bought Cara Cara’s in Feb at Torrance farmers market cus they were mindblowing. My family demolished them in like two days so the next weekend I bought a bag at Costco and the Costco bag was comparatively garbage. Bought a GIANT bag at Torrance farmers market again last week and they have still been very very good. Only a couple weren’t as sweet as those Feb ones but all worth the farmers market markup no question.
6 Likes
I just had some from Ken’s about 2 weeks ago still good. But agreed not as good as peak which I would say was end of Feb.
Grapefruits are still very good too!
3 Likes
Burkdoll farms
First peaches of the season. Chow pup has been asking for peaches since last summer, said they were pretty yum but they are definitely not peak sweet
I know cherries have been around for a couple of weeks for some last week from Ken’s but they were pretty mediocre, anyone know where there are good ones?
6 Likes
Murray Family Farms. As of today, they were $7/basket, and I believe $20 for three baskets.
5 Likes
Daisy tangerines from J. Davis Farms (Hollywood Farmers Market) have been outstanding the last few weeks.
2 Likes