Farmers Market Update: Cherries and Videocast!

by | 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

Bunch Carrots

First Pick Cherries

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.

Spring Greens

Spring Greens

Radishes

Radishes

Today’s Purchases:

  • Cherries (Twin Girl Farms)
  • Chard (Capay Organics)
  • Yellow tomatoes (Bruins Farms)
  • Basil (Chue’s Farm)
  • Cilantro (Chue’s Farm)
  • Thumbalina carrots (Eatwell Farms)
  • Strawberries (Dirty Girl Produce)
  • Breakfast radishes (Marin Roots Farm)
  • Scapes (Marin Roots Farm)
  • Torpedo onions (Everything Under the Sun)
  • Tatsoi (Star Route Farms)
  • Arugula (Star Route Farms)
  • Frisee (Star Route Farms)
  • Limes (Bernard Ranches)
  • Tangelos (Hamada Farms)
  • Meyer lemons (Hamada Farms)
  • Mediterranean cucumbers (Madison Growers)
  • Ramps (Far West Fungi)
  • Eggs (Soul Food/Prather Ranch)
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26 Responses to “Farmers Market Update: Cherries and Videocast!”

  1. Cristian says:

    Eloquent both with the written and the verbal, very nice! Would love to hear more about how you will use the veggie arsenal purchased – which will be great guidance for my own local market visits.

    • Darya Pino says:

      Thank you! I am not sure exactly what I’m going to do with everything, but you can follow along on FoodFeed!

      • Sandra says:

        Will do. The CSA runs from June to November so I am still waiting and hope I have a good one. I went with only a half-share since I did *plant* a garden in our uber-tiny yard, who knows how much I’ll get out of it… We shall see.

  2. Sandra says:

    Hey Darya-
    Thanks for making me miss SF. And thanks for not going to Acme bread, that would have been too much.
    I have a question for you. I just signed up for a CSA here in Baltimore. What do you think of CSA is contrast to just picking through the market on your own? Any experience with them or thoughts on them?

    Thanks.

    • Darya Pino says:

      I’ve heard mixed reviews and I think it depends a lot on the individual CSA. I’ve heard some can get monotonous, especially if it is served by only a small single farm. From what I gather CSAs are great for people who do not have time to go to a farmers market regularly. Given the choice I think weekly market trips might offer a slight advantage if you have the time. I think the prices are comparable. Definitely keep me posted on how it works out. I’m always hunting for reviews 🙂

  3. Chip Clark says:

    A terrific foray into video content. You have a very natural and appealing video presence.

    My suggestion would be to focus your attention to very specific topics (one vegetable stand or one food item), with the end video timing out at a couple minutes or so. With my short attention span, I am much more likely to watch videos of that length.

  4. Andrea says:

    Love the video Darya! Great job. Hope to see more of them in the future. A recording of you cooking one of those scrumptious-looking veggie recipes would be fun to watch :>

  5. Zachary says:

    Great video – I love the views of the farmer’s market. The coming comments are written as I watch it, so forgive the lack of coherent structure.

    I definitely agree Chip Clark (and I see that you do too). The video is kind of long – especially for the Farmer’s Market Update, which is usually just a quick glance through on what is fresh and delicious at the market.

    At a couple of locations (esp. the French place) it was kind of hard to understand exactly what you were saying. There was just too much background noise – I don’t know how you’d be able to fix that though.

    Do you always buy that volume of stuff from the market? It seems like it was covering your entire table. About how much do you spend per week there (I think you’ve answered this before). I’m curious about your other shopping habits. I assume you get most of your other food at TJs and Whole Foods. Does the greater volume of your weekly meals come from those places, or does the food you get at the farmers market make up the greater portion of your diet?

    You describe a disturbing amount of your purchases as cute 😀

    You’ve mentioned eggs before, but I’m not sure that you’ve gone into it too much. How many eggs in a week are too much?

    I have a feeling this awesome video was taken by someone equally as awesome. I hope you enjoyed your basketball game (a little bit depressed the Celtics didn’t lose? I am…)

    Sorry for the long post…

    • Zachary says:

      By the way, Google Reader gives me no indication that there was a video on this post. If you hadn’t have mentioned that there was supposed to be a video, I wouldn’t have known.

    • Darya Pino says:

      Thanks for your input Zachary, I really appreciate it.

      Actually I bought way too little food this week, I must have been distracted by my camera man. I got great stuff for lunches, but not enough dinners unless I only eat eggs. I also didn’t buy enough fruit to last until Friday. I am going to have to stop by the Wednesday market at UCSF to supplement.

      Usually I take two $20 bills out of my wallet and put them in my pocket when I head to the market. Usually I come home with money still in my pocket. For special purchases I will sometimes spend closer to $50. If I spend more than that I certainly cannot eat all the food myself.

      The vast majority of my food comes from the market. I also shop at Whole Foods once every week or three. There I buy several gallons of soy milk (for my cereal and coffee–it keeps for months unopened in the fridge), cereal, dry grains from the bulk bins (rice, lentils, etc.), tempeh and various condiments (I love cooking ethnic foods and can get many special ingredients there). I also buy things I randomly think of during the week that I forgot at the market. I regularly buy cases of wine at the Wine House in Potrero as well.

      You’ve got it, from now on my vegetables are sexy, not cute 😉

      Usually I buy half a dozen eggs only once or twice a month. I would not recommend more than one per day on average. Personally I like to get my protein from a variety of sources: eggs, beans, fish, nuts, soy. Variety is best.

      I’d prefer the Celtics to lose without KG on the bench–takes the fun out of it 😉

      Thanks again for your input!

  6. Guess I can look forward to some reasonably priced fresh cherries soon. Yum!

    Enjoyed the video very much! Is there a way in the future to reduce the background noise at the Farmers’ Market, or wherever? (I’ sure some listeners want to hear all of it.) No biggie.

    Looks cold in SF. We’re hitting 90s in Phoenix, with no rain expected until monsoon season starts in July.

    -Steve

  7. Larry Hogue says:

    Travel Channel here you come!

  8. Linda Simon says:

    You are a natural. I agree with Larry, you are ready for TV.
    One suggestion. Can you leave the plastic bags at the market and just use your re-usable bag?

    • Darya Pino says:

      I’ve been grappling with the bag question a lot recently. They will be discontinuing them in a few weeks. I don’t mind putting citrus and other sturdy, dry goods in my bag. But the ramps were all wet and muddy, and I have no idea how I would get my arugula home. Apparently they will be offering the biodegradable kind for a fee. I need to look into this.

  9. dsennerud says:

    Excellent foray into video. Yes, it was a bit long, but the market IS something that is central to Summer Tomato. Perhaps you could break it into segments. Pretty smooth editing and camera work, too. Your blog just keeps getting better all the time!

    Once again, I am so jealous of the sheer variety at your farmer’s market. I may come to SF for a conference in October and visit. Of course, then there would be no kitchen to bring things back to!

    I agree @ cherries. I always associate that with a certain time of the season. I wish I had some right now.

    Keep up the great work!

    • Darya Pino says:

      Thanks for the feedback on my video! Segments is a great idea and I’m thinking now about how I might implement it. Thinking about trying interviews too.

  10. Matt Shook says:

    A ST vlog…nice! It was pretty awesome to see sights and sounds (sadly no smell-o-vision yet) of the farmers market…reminds me a bit of our Saturday Market up here. Like others have mentioned you’re totally a ham in front of the camera…good production value and camera work. I actually enjoy all the environmental noise in the background. Maybe add your logo and website link at the beginning and end of the video.

    No bagging on the people who went to the Giants game. 😉

    Speaking of bags, a very good friend of mine works at a farmers market in Brooklyn, NY and was annoyed at the number of plastic bags people were dishing out. So he started up a non-profit called Bags for the People where he hands out these handmade bags comprised of recycled materials…it’s totally worth checking out. No catch…It’s totally free. I know he has sent a lot of bags out to some of us up here in Portland…

    I just bought a whole bunch (literally) of basil and cilantro two days ago…and yes, they just smell and taste so good. I pretty much put one of the other in almost every meal. Btw, I’ve included eggs back into my diet once again…thought you of all people would appreciate that…hahaha.

    Thanks for sharing and keep up the great work!

  11. Scott says:

    Well, sounds like everyone has already told you what they don’t like about it; I’ll just add that I love how progressive you are, always doing new things around here- its great!

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