I grew up in (and currently live in!) Central California, in what is known as the “Bread Basket of the World”. The title really is no exaggeration. According to the California Department of Food and Agriculture, California is the world’s fifth largest supplier of food and agriculture commodities!
Some of the leading products California supplies to the world are dairy, grapes, almonds, walnuts, artichokes, dates, figs, olives, persimmons, pistachios, pomegranates, prunes, raisins, and various varieties of fresh fruit and vegetables. Over 400 different crops are grown in California, and even though we only possesses 4% of the total U.S. farms, we still supply the nation with the most agriculture products!
One of our biggest claims to fame are our grapes. California grows 91% of the total of grapes used in the United States for table grapes, raisins, and wine. The production of wine grapes in California is one-third LARGER than the total produced in all of Australia! On a global scale, if California was a separate country, it would be the world’s fourth-largest producer of wine in the world.
All of that is to say – surrounded by a wealth of farms, vineyards and dairies, I have been rather blessed to have some amazing Farmers Markets in my backyard!
I was born and raised in Hanford, then spent my teen years living in Lemoore, and now with my husband stationed at Lemoore NAS, we currently live in Visalia, California. I have visited all of the local Farmers Markets in the Valley at one time or another, and I must say that out of all the local shindigs, my hands down favorite is the Visalia Farmers Market. (The year round Saturday market that is just down the street from my house is the best IMO.)
While it’s not the biggest, or the most crowded, or even the most diverse, the reason why I prefer the Visalia Farmers Market is because it offers the best QUALITY of booths. I don’t know how they choose vendors, but the Visalia vendors are top of the line.
This is where I go for a steady source of local grass-fed beef, free range eggs, raw organic cows milk, local raw honey, handmade products and locally roasted coffee beans. Before finding this all-in-one source, these were usually things I had to bend over backwards to acquire, or seek out multiple locations (online orders, direct from farm orders, stopping by expensive “health stores”, etc.) to obtain. But at the year round Visalia Farmers Market, it’s all in one place at the lowest possible price AND you get the joy of establishing a relationship directly with your local farmers!
This past weekend, before getting to work on our raised garden beds (only a couple more weeks left before it’s time to transfer the indoor seedlings into the garden!), we decided to stop by the Visalia Farmers Market to pick up some farm fresh goodies, and I thought I would snap a couple of these random pictures to share with you all!
Also I thought I’d share from the Visalia Farmers Market website this fun list of “8 Reasons to Shop Visalia’s Farmers Market”. (Clearly, the list applies to ANY local farmers market!)
8 Reasons to Shop Visalia’s Farmers Market
1. Local food supports local families and farmers
2. Local food builds community
3. Local food preserves open space
4. Local food supports a cleaner environment
5. Buying directly cuts out the cost of middleman marketing
6. Buying local supports your local economy
7. Buying local lets you know where your food comes from
8. It’s FUN!
I would love to go there. Looks awesome.
Beautiful pictures Gingi! Oh how I wish the farmer’s markets were open in my neck of the woods. I have about 3 months to go. 🙁
Yeah, this is one of the only “rain or shine” year round markets I’ve seen around here! It’s easier to be a loyal customer when they are ALWAYS THERE!
I love love shopping in certified markets! something about the rustic look and feel of farmers market with all that fresh produce in front of you makes me a very happy shopper! I agree, quality plus certified food, are certainly a huge plus!
I must say I have to step up my local product buying. We have a farmer’s market every Thursday but I work during those hours. Am I reading correctly: does it say $8 for 6 eggs?!
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LOL, yes, they are free range goose eggs! Each one is about the size of 3-4 chicken eggs. We bought some and the yolk was as big as a small orange!!
Terrific! I would love to be able to visit a farmers market to purchase food. This isn´t possible here except for a few summer months. And then you have to go to Stockholm city which has the only farmers market nearby at least that I know of… Awesome pictures of yummy greens 🙂
Must be lovely to have a farmer’s market near! I grew my own fruits and vegetables before living in Italy, and where I come from they now have this kind of market, offering too different kinds of bread, marmalade, dried and smoked meat (with less nitrites and nitrates than sausages, it seems). Here in Milan we have fruit markets, but it’s not the same thing, one never knows exactly where the produce comes from
Rosa
Styleyourselfinstyle.blogspot.com
What a great farmer’s market! I’m in Southern California, we have one in my neighborhood that I haven’t tried yet, but maybe you’re giving me the push to check it out…
LOL, I will gladly be the imp on your shoulder pushing you to try out cool things! 😉 You should make some Farmers Market inspired artwork while you’re there!
What beautiful produce! Where I live you have to travel miles to the nearest farmer’s market and then you tend to be disappointed. I went to one in Canada once and it was amazing!
Gingi, I love Farmers Markets, I can’t go to this one but I am definitely going to make a plan to go to the one in my city at least twice a month once Spring hits… I love getting fresh fruits and vegetables from local farmers… 🙂
I LOVE farmers markets, too! And it looks like your Baba Foods vendor has a southern Cali branch too because they’re done here as well. I love all your reasons for going to the market and that’s why we go there every week: better local economy, environmentally friendly, and healthier and more nutritious (and tastier!) food.
I didn’t realize Baba Foods was a state wide business! I just assumed it was a Central Valley local only biz, hehe! Have you tried their goodies??
Oh lovely market.
And the veggies looks fresh too.
XO
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The place sounds amazing 🙂
STYLE VANITY
All those fruits and veggies make me really hungry. 🙂 I want to have my own garden again!
Yeah, I am super impatient to get started on my spring garden!!
You will forgive me for not making it there. Sort of hard to justify shopping there when I live in Indiana. 🙂
Oh I’m drooling! I love a farmers market!
Farmers Markets are my favorite! This produce looks amazing!
Melanie @ meandmr.com
Doesn’t it though?!
Your pictures are fabulous! I can’t wait for spring to start hitting the farmer’s markets again. It’s too cold here at the moment.
Gingi, I’m getting a bad case of spring fever just looking at your lovely photo’s! But I just a couple of months to go….blah. I love buying local too! Had no idea that 90+ % of grapes come from Cali. Although, honestly, I feel like every piece of produce I buy from the store says it was grown in California so I was surprised you have so few farms! Interesting post!
When does spring (or garden time) usually start for you folks? Ours is officially March 15th.. although I’m cheating and moving my seeds outdoors to harden off today! hehe..
I love shopping fresh products especially fruits and veggies, and farmers market is always a good place!!! 😉 xo
Gorgeous photos! You captured this market so beautifully!
We have a Farmer’s market but it is nothing like that one – for starters it is only open from late April until sometime in October. And last year there were as many booths selling crafts as actual food. We usually go a couple times a year but that is about it.
Yeah, the one in my hometown is like that. That’s why I’m so glad this one is year round.. and it’s SO CLOSE to my current house!
I have yet to see any farmers market here where I live but I really hope I will find one soon. I have always love to walk through a farmer market, taking in the many varieties of fresh produce. Your pictures here are absolutely lovely, just looking at all the vegetables just makes me want to go out and find a farmer market now.
Shireen | Reflection of Sanity
I really like your photos of this market, it looks amazing and it’s great that it has such a nice prices 🙂
http://crafty-zone.blogspot.com/
What a wonderful place to shop! I love shopping at farmers markets. The vegetables are beautiful 🙂
Yeah, this is one of my weekly highlights! <3
wow, you have access to such great quality whole foods! it looks like a fun place to hang out and pick up some yummy things for dinner. 🙂
love, liz
http://www.stylewich.com
The vegetables and fruits on sale in this farmers market sure look very fresh and healthy! Thanks for sharing!
Prudence
http://www.prudencepetitestyle.com
I really wish we had more farmers markets here in the UK. They are so incredible in the States, and we are really missing out over here.
I would think that the UK would have TONS of Farmers Markets! That’s kind of how I picture it anyway, lol…
I love a good farmer’s market! I’m sure the ones in CA beat the pants off the ones in KS, haha. 🙂
-Ashley
Le Stylo Rouge
Perfectly inspiring <3
wish you a great day ahead…
Borka
http://www.chicfashionworld.com
I love our local farmer’s market, but yours looks AMAZING! I want to come visit just to see the farmer’s market! And of course to be in California. 😉
California is KIND of freaking awesome, not gonna lie. 😉
Mmm the food in these pictures looks delicious! Looks like a nice market.
Sarah x
http://www.palmtreesandheels.blogspot.com
I would defo visit this market if I lived there. Wonderful with all this fresh products. 🙂
missymayification.blogspot.co.uk
Gingi my pictures are nothing compared to yours! Yours are awesome!!! It’s a pity we don’t have a farmers market where we live now. Great post and photography Gingi. xxx
Jo | Say Cheesy Cake
Say Cheesy Cake on Bloglovin
Hahaha, oh shush! Your photos are AWESOME and you know it! 😉
Oh my goodness, I love it! Just another reason why I need to come to California 😉 Seriously though, the produce looks so good and fresh, you guys are so lucky over there!
xo, Dolce // http://www.mydailysweet.com/
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It seems like such a lovely market!
XO Imke
I love farmers markets, thoughthe Edinburgh ones are too meat heavy for us veggies! One of my memories of my trip to California (when i was 9) is of visiting several wineries and wishing i was old enough to drink the wines…..
Ours are opposite! We don’t have nearly enough meat at our local markets! You need to come back and check out the wineries! They are so much fun!!
This market looks awesome! I live in Austin and we are all about going local – go you for shopping at your local market!!
xoxo
Kaley
My Closet Life Blog
wow everything looks so fresh and gorgeous! I wish we had a farmer’s market as nice as this here in my country!
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