Farmers Market Update: BYOB (video post)

by Darya Rose | May 17, 2009

Bring your own bags is the new message from the San Francisco Ferry Plaza Farmers Market. As of next weekend, the Saturday farmers market at the Ferry Building will no longer be providing free plastic bags to shoppers. Instead they encourage you to bring your own bags or purchase the reusable or biodegradable BioBags they will be selling at the information booth. Their goal is to help the environment by cutting down plastic bag waste generated by the market.

The Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture (CUESA) that runs the farmers market is leaving it up to individual vendors to decide how to deal with the change. Most of the vendors I spoke to will offer BioBags–some will provide them for free while others are charging $0.20 – 0.25 per bag. For your convenience you should plan on bringing a large tote bag to carry your items. For things like lettuces and berries, you should consider bringing your own small bags or expect to purchase environmentally friendly bags at the market.

Apricots and Strawberries

Blueberries

The farmers market is a completely different place than it was just 4 weeks ago. You can still find delicate greens and spring garlic, but we now have all kinds of berries, cherries and other stone fruits that make it feel more like summer every day. Do yourself a favor and go find some blueberries from Triple Delight!

Also this week was the first appearance of my favorite frying peppers in the world, Pimientos de Padrón! I bought some and they were AMAZING. I love them early in the season because the spiciness level is perfect for me.

Bagged Padrones

Colorful Heirloom Tomatoes

Maybe the best news of all is that the tomatoes are finally sweet! The heirloom I bought this week from Bruin Farms was the first of the season where I actually had trouble getting it from the cutting board to a serving bowl without eating it all first. I didn’t even need salt. That’s how you know it’s good 😉

Organic Artichokes

Squash and Dandelion Greens

Let me know how you guys like my second attempt at video. I didn’t have a camera man this time, so I limited the filming to my kitchen after I got home with all my goodies. Feedback welcome!!

Today’s purchases:

Heirloom tomato (Bruins Farms)
Padrones (Happy Quail Farms)
Mediterranean cucumbers (Happy Quail Farms)
Apricots (Catalán Farms)
Blueberries (Triple Delight Blueberries)
Salad greeens (Marin Roots Farm)
Leek scapes (Marin Roots Farm)
French breakfast radishes (Marin Roots Farm)
Purslane (Madison Growers)
Summer squash (Balakian Farms)
Rainbow chard (Dirty Girl Produce)
Broccoli crown (Iacopi Farm)
Meyer lemons (Hamada Farms)
Italian sweet basil (Chue’s Farm)
Mint (Chue’s Farm)
Garlic (Chue’s Farm)

What did you find at the market?

Tags: apricots, BioBags, biodegradable, blueberries, CUESA, Farmers Market, Farmers Market Update, Ferry Plaza Farmers Market, padrones, San Francisco, shopping, Spring, Tips, tomatoes, video

Farmers Market Update: Cherries and Videocast!

by Darya Rose | May 3, 2009

There is so much exciting news I don’t know where to start. Today I’m debuting the very first Summer Tomato videocast! This week instead of writing about my experience I’m giving you a video tour of some of my favorite places and things at the San Francisco Ferry Plaza Farmers Market. The last 5 minutes is a live run down of what I brought home with me and why I bought it.

As my skills improve I’m sure my videos will as well, but please let me know what you think in the comments section of this post. In particular, let me know what works for you, what doesn’t, and if there is any specific content you would like me to address in future videos.

Bunch Carrots

First Pick Cherries

The other exciting news is that the first cherries of the season have arrived! When I see stone fruits I know that warmer weather is on the way and summer is right around the corner. Few things could make me happier.