What's At Your Local Farmers Market? A Look At Fresh Veggies, Fruits, Meats, Nuts and More [Thoughts + Pics]

Chowseeker1999 · July 6, 2020, 4:55pm

Uh oh. You introduced your kid to Harry’s Berries Organic Strawberries and Arnett Farms’ various wonderful stone fruit? There’s no going back now!

Reminds me of one of my best friends who introduced her daughter (still in elementary school) to A5 Wagyu on a vacation a few years ago. Ever since then, the only steak she wants to eat is A5 Wagyu.

I think @J_L mentioned before trying not to introduce his kids to legendary Sushi too early on, or else that’s all they’ll ever want to eat.

js76wisco · July 6, 2020, 8:40pm

@Chowseeker1999 it’s a very slippery slope indeed. My wife always says it’s my fault that my kids have expensive taste. I’d rather pay a little more to eat food that we enjoy vs giving our kids frozen chicken nuggets and Kraft Mac n cheese all the time. I feel bad for my future son in law. My daughter has expensive tastes. Burrata, triple cream Brie, good balsamic from Modena, Harry’s gaviotas, she will sniff out the inferior products you can’t get anything past her.

attran99 · July 6, 2020, 9:10pm

I like your daughter’s tastes!

Jase · July 6, 2020, 9:31pm

I made this mistake with my wife when we first started dating. She grew up knowing only cooked to death meat, fried fish and american cheese. But to her credit she was game to expand her palate. We started easy with California rolls and sweet shrimp. Pork chops and steaks cooked to just barely pink or meats braised in rich sauces. Also good cheddar. She slowly expanded her palate and would be game to try new stuff and ask about going to different places.

Early on the cycle, when we were still young and broke, she reluctantly tried monkfish liver but lit up on first taste and said she loved it and wanted to get another order. After the 3rd order, I gently mentioned to her that it was great she loved it and she was welcome to keep getting more but it would put a dent in our dining budget and might have to cut back on some of the other sushi we had planned. She asked what the price per order was and was in shock when I told her. She was aghast and apologetic about being so extravagant with her order.

But it was fun to watch her explore and go on her food journey. She now also loves cheeses of all kinds, especially stinky blue ones. Our first trip to Murray’s in New York, years ago, she was a kid in a candy shop.

One of my friend’s kids acquired a taste for lobster at 6 and is a complete fresh seafood snob at 13 years old.

So yeah, dining expenditures can take a hit quick

J_L · July 6, 2020, 10:02pm

Legendary? How about ANY sushi?! lolol… He can pay for his own sushi after he makes partner at the firm. #Dadneedstopayforcollege

Wakko11 · July 6, 2020, 11:51pm

Just tell him that he should aim to get a full scholarship because dad will pay for just one, sushi or college.

J_L · July 7, 2020, 3:42am

Knowing my kid, he’d actually choose sushi and then hold me to fulfilling my end of the contract. #forevertenantinmybasement

Jase · July 7, 2020, 7:33pm

Well, advice often heard is choose your passion

J_L · July 7, 2020, 9:48pm

There is definitely freedom to choose: No less than three passions are on our menu: Doctor, Lawyer, or Engineer.

hungryhungryhippos · July 8, 2020, 12:08am

Computer science?

J_L · July 8, 2020, 12:16am

A.I. developer/repairs
(or my personal favorite: Go directly to Venture Capital and Philanthropy)

Chowseeker1999 · July 11, 2020, 6:06pm

Update XX:

We picked up some wonderful fruit from this past weekend (and let it ripen a few days before trying and reporting back).

Hollywood Farmers Market

Arnett Farms

Stone Fruit season continues! There were some wonderful varieties we picked up.

Black Diamond Pluots (Apricot, Plum, Pomegranate Combo):

Letting them ripen a couple days first, when you bite into the Black Diamond Pluot, there’s a gorgeous sweet aroma, almost lightly floral, a burst of delicious sweetness and the Pluot skin itself lends just the right amount of tart. Wonderful!

Cherriums (Cherry, Plum Combination):

Arnett Farms’ Cherriums are adorable (larger than a Grape or Cherry, but smaller than a Plum), with a gentle sweetness that tasted like Cherries and Plums combined.

Arnett Farms
(@ Hollywood Farmers Market (Sunday)) (North of the Arclight Cinemas)
1600 Ivar Ave.
Hollywood, CA 90028

Day: Sunday
Hours: 8:00AM - 1:00PM

Murray Family Farms

Murray Family Farms’ most impressive offerings might very well be their Grape varietals. Those of us FTC’ers who enjoy the Cotton Candy Grapes each year, look to Murray Family Farms’ Organic Grapes that usually surpass Cotton Candy Grapes (by a wide margin) (and I’m a Cotton Candy Grape fan).

This past weekend, their first batch of their “Candy” series Grapes arrived:

Candy Snap Grapes:

Unfortunately it’s still a little too early, so hold off on picking up the Candy Snap Grapes. This 1st batch was mainly a sweet & sour combination of flavor, not sweet enough yet. They were still good Organic Grapes, but nowhere near their amazing “Candy” levels of flavor combinations and sweetness like last year.

Murray Family Farms
(@ Hollywood Farmers Market (Sunday)) (North of the Arclight Cinemas)
1600 Ivar Ave.
Hollywood, CA 90028

Day: Sunday
Hours: 8:00AM - 1:00PM

(Also @ Santa Monica Farmers Market (Wednesday & Saturday))
155 Arizona Ave.
Santa Monica, CA 90401

Day: Wednesday & Saturday
Hours: 8:00AM - 1:00PM

Weiser Farms

Weiser Farms had a beautiful array of their Summer Melons ready to eat!

Sugar Queen Melon:

A beautiful floral aroma emanates from the Sugar Queen Melon as you let it sit on the kitchen counter. We chilled it before enjoying.

Outstanding!

It looks like a Cantaloupe, but the flavors are more like a Honeydew (but even sweeter and more floral). There’s a reason Weiser Farms’ Melons are so popular. Do not miss!

Weiser Farms
(@ Hollywood Farmers Market (Sunday)) (North of the Arclight Cinemas)
1600 Ivar Ave.
Hollywood, CA 90028

Day: Sunday
Hours: 8:00AM - 1:00PM

(Also @ Santa Monica Farmers Market (Wednesday & Saturday))
155 Arizona Ave.
Santa Monica, CA 90401

Day: Wednesday & Saturday
Hours: 8:00AM - 1:00PM

Tenerelli Orchards

Tenerelli Orchards, one of the most outstanding farms at our local Farmers Markets for Peaches, has their White Peach varietals starting to appear!

Snow Brite White Peaches:

After letting them ripen for a couple days on our kitchen counter…

Incredible juicy, pure sweetness, floral, the best Peaches we’ve had this season!

(@PorkyBelly @TheCookie @J_L @paranoidgarliclover @attran99 @Ns1 @js76wisco @hanhgry and others!)

We dropped some off to a relative (socially distanced), and she called back saying “These are the best Peaches I’ve ever had!”

What’s even crazier is that this is only the 1st of Tenerelli’s White Peach varietals. They get better throughout the season.

Tenerelli Orchards
(@ Hollywood Farmers Market (Sunday)) (North of the Arclight Cinemas)
1600 Ivar Ave.
Hollywood, CA 90028

Day: Sunday
Hours: 8:00AM - 1:00PM

(Also @ Santa Monica Farmers Market (Wednesday & Saturday))
155 Arizona Ave.
Santa Monica, CA 90401

Day: Wednesday & Saturday
Hours: 8:00AM - 1:00PM

js76wisco · July 11, 2020, 8:16pm

I missed out on the Tenereli peaches last weekend. Had so much stuff already. I’m not sure I can brace the sun and heat tomorrow. Thanks for the heads up, will definitely make sure to hit them up next time.

attran99 · July 11, 2020, 8:37pm

I’m going to try and go at opening tomorrow.
The Tenerelli white nectarines were so sweet and juicy! They literally exploded when you take a bite.
I want to try the wide selection available at Arnett’s…so many interesting combinations.
And Harry’s gaviotas were as sweet as candy.

Chowseeker1999 · July 11, 2020, 9:39pm

Hi @attran99,

If you go, try Tenerelli’s White Peaches tomorrow as well. And ask the farm hands at Arnett’s about what’s sweetest right now. Hopefully Flavor King Pluots will show up soon (the best!).

TheCookie · July 12, 2020, 10:44pm

Yep. I did the taste test @moonboy403. No beating Harry’s Berries Gaviotas sweetness this season. I still appreciate Tamai Farms Strawberries for their slightly tart sweetness & firmness, and disagree about the fragrance - when I opened the bag of TFs the fragrance wafted up like a strawberry scented cloud. But HRs are the clear sweetness winner.

Tamai Family Farms

Harry’s Berries

We got a few of those juicy tomatoes too. Sorbet next time.

Now for the bad news…

Mara des Bois

What kind of bullshit is this? I’ll tell you what. Their C19 “Only Touch What You Purchase” rule. You’re forced to pick something at random without inspection.

After picking out the bad ones and eating just a few before the photo this is what I yielded. Bullshit.

PorkyBelly · July 12, 2020, 10:50pm

that’s highway strobbery.

Chowseeker1999 · July 12, 2020, 10:55pm

Hi @TheCookie,

Wow, that’s terrible. I’ve never had a batch from Harry’s look like that. You should definitely bring it up to them next week, hopefully they’ll make it up to you.

TheCookie · July 12, 2020, 10:57pm

Thanks @Chowseeker1999. I’ve never done it at a FM but I was thinking the same thing about saying something. It’s not acceptable for that price.

TheCookie · July 12, 2020, 10:59pm