Berkeley Farmers’ Market

I love the abundant amount of farmers’ markets in the East Bay. This one is super convenient although parking can be tricky if you drive here. I went on a Saturday and was able to purchase some awesome produce. This is a smaller market but they have all of the usual items you will find at the larger ones.
The stands are occupied by local peeps selling the fruits of their labor. No pun intended. Haha. Really though… There is just something about buying fresh produce from the source.

ALL ORGANIC EVERYTHING! I love quality vegetables at a decent price

Private Investigations
Case# 2015−04_bc
«The Beets Go In»
End transcript 10:36:21 am₁₁_​14₁₅
10:35 am: «B» and «C» seen leaving the farmers’ market, cross MLK to the opposite side of the street, traffic light to moderate. They unlock the hatchback of their vehicle and are visibly seen redistributing purchased goods into blue coolers and assorted cotton reusable bags. Beet greens are still clearly visible. Every item, we presume at this stage, is likely to be organic. Eggs, fresh herbs, and two types of tomatoes all are observed going into the «chilled» bag. Other items — dates, tangerines, lemons, butternut squash, Nardello peppers, baby gem lettuce, red grapes, globe eggplant — are stowed securely before the car signals left and pulls into traffic. They turn right at the corner and are gone.
The beets, it seems, did go in.
10:22 am: Observed suspects are seen choosing mandarin oranges and lemons from a small vendor’s stall. «B» casts a look back towards the Red Bay coffee stand, as if to confirm that, indeed, the Ecology Center needs to update its website. Blue Bottle is no longer at the market; Red Bay has definitively arrived.
10:18 am: Suspect «B» is now engaged in conversation with man selling dates, at least 20 varieties — possibly more. More dialogue ensues, but do not wish to compromise my listening post by approaching closer. «B» points to two containers, then receives dates in brown bag. Cash — $ 6 — is exchanged.
10:12 am: There are clearly beets in «B“s hand — yellow-​red, perhaps Chioggia? Must confirm this detail later. The peppers, however, can positively be identified: Jimmy Nardellos. Delicious grilled with Spanish olive oil and alderwood smoked salt. Perhaps «B» will prepare these in a cast-​iron skillet later tonight? Maybe the eggplant, too, smoky garlicky baba ganoush style. With red flint polenta on the side. A bottle of Southern Rhôné wine — a Vaucluse, perhaps — from Kermit Lynch. After the meal, in front of the crackling fireplace, there might be Sulawesi peaberry French Press coffee and wild blueberry scones with powdered mulling spices, followed by a neat glass of Montana rye whiskey. How typical!
After all, he has done *exactly* this sort of thing before. You see: this is not my first investigation of «B» and «C» or their eccentric foodie ways …
10:09 am: «B» and «C» make another set of vegetable purchases, from what appears to be the Happy Boy farm stand. Butternut squash, baby gem lettuce, fresh herb, possibly parsley, but hard to make out from this surveillance angle. Will relocate and change to a larger zoom lens.
10:06 am: Suspects reenter the market area from the North, after approximately 50 minutes spent on the UC Berkeley campus, including — we think — the Doe Library. Must corroborate detail with the help of campus camera footage and follow-​up interview with student staff at entrance. The vehicle in which they came (2011 Subaru Outback Sport, color: dark blue, tires: Bridgestone DriveGuard RFTs, roof rack removed) remains parked on MLK, time remaining on ticket: until 10:35 am. So, they plan on shopping at market for 30 minutes, one may speculate.
9:10 am: «B» and «C» walk through the farmers market, a blocked off section of Center St. They make note of vendors of interest, check the time, and move off to the North. Destination is as yet unknown. Follow on foot commences.
9:02 am: Car arrives on scene. Begin of surveillance in earnest. The two suspects — «B» and «C» — depart the vehicle and proceed across MLK to the SW corner of Circle St. «B» has a soft-​sided blue cooler hung over right shoulder, cotton reusable shopping bags clearly visible. One wonders: will the beets go in?
Start transcript 9:01:55 am₁₁_​14₁₅

My review is not about being the neighborhood crank or a food purist or finding someone painting outside the lines or being the bossy big sister. This is not about a bit of a headache or an upset tummy because I ate hot sauce on an empty stomach. This is about serious debilitating pain, losing one’s job because of a chronic condition so severe simply standing is a hardship. I am talking about any number of auto-​immune diseases that are made worse because of the loss of food quality we are so blasé about in this country.
I have been going to this farmer’s market for a long time because I thought I could trust these farmers. Little did I know that I was in pain FOR YEARS because of it. Yes, Dorothy, food can cause real, serious, effing pain.
Modesto Mills now labels their soy based, organic, chicken feed NON GMO so I’m retracting everything I said about it and the farms that use their feed. I’m sorry if I caused them any economic harm but had they simply responded to my inquiries in a non rude fashion, and truthfully (non soy based layer feed really does cost exactly the same), in other words if we could’ve had a simple, friendly conversation, I wouldn’t have written about them in the first place. I have to say though, if that’s why Modesto Mills suddenly clearly labeled their feed non gmo, and possibly changed their source for their soy, it’s not such a bad outcome, is it?
The guy at Ram Dass Farms brags about how he goes to England every year and when they (the UK people) ask if he’s been on a farm because they want to prevent hoof and mouth disease, he lies about it as if the UK ag industry didn’t lose billions of dollars and have to kill 80 thousand sheep and cattle in 2001 to try to contain the outbreak because of one stupid farmer. I told Paul who runs the market and at least he took food security seriously enough to do something about it but then the farmer in question cat calls at me across the market just like a 7yr old on the school playground. I think he needs to rename his farm.
And let’s not forget the botanical guy who is a mashup of total nonsense, arrogance, and quality herbal tinctures. He makes promises about deals and discounts he then conveniently «forgets.» I’ve seen him do this with others so it’s nice to know it’s not about me. He’s also been quite rude because, according to him, I wasn’t perky enough. I kid you not. Of course adrenal fatigue was one of the things he was Treating me for. I now make my (it’s easy) artichoke leaf extract (I discovered that this solved part of my auto-​immune issue, not him) so it’s even cheaper.
Don’t get me wrong. There are a lot of great food producers at the Center St Saturday Farmer’s Market. I love Brokaw avocados which, even though they aren’t organic, are simply the best and most reliable avocados I have ever bought Anywhere! Tom and I talked about this on the phone (yes, they gave me his personal number) over a decade ago and he said he can’t produce his Always Perfect avocados that stay ripe for days and days in the fridge without resorting sometimes to non organic means but he does his best to minimize their use. He’s tried to go organic but his product suffers and I have to say I have never had such perfect avocados from anyone else so I still buy his avos every week and recommend them to others. He also has superior types that no one else does. The Gillogly which I think he developed himself is the best avocado I’ve ever tasted anywhere, ever. Even his Hass avos don’t go brown inside when you eat only half, leave the pit in, put the empty half back on and rubberband them shut. Put them in a plastic bag in the fridge and it’s lovely and yellowy green inside the next day or even two or three days later.
Three Twins Ice Cream is totally yummy and they have such interesting flavors! And you can get it in super big tubs for a discount too. One of the first, organic, local ice cream makers and really, their totally unique flavors are truly wonderful.
Hudson Fish is another wonderful vendor who treats the environment responsibly and its customer’s well. And the best smoked fish I have ever had! Most smoked fish is dry but their smoked pacific cod is light and juicy and oh so flavorful. They are totally reliable and professional and even when the rest of the market was throwing daggers at me, Valerie would treat me like a friend. I had to ditch this review the first time I wrote up the farmer’s market but apparently (Yay!) I have just enough space to put it back in.
I love that I have a local farmer’s market that has so many wonderful farmers. It’s a shame that my experience there is marred by the self indulgent business practices of a few and that I can’t always trust the food because that is, ultimately why I go there and not Safeway. It’s not because I want a warm and fuzzy experience. I need (and ultimately so do you) to be able to trust my food. So I still go there every weekend. I just can’t trust every farmer. What a shame.

Local and organic. That’s how I’d describe this place. Everything is local, fresh, and the majority of the vendors are organic and embrace sustainable farming practices. They open 10 am — 3 pm, try to arrive earlier for greater selection of products.
Set up: two rows that go up a whole block of Center St. (from MLK Way to Milvia St)
Parking: Free street parking and metered
Vendors and Products: wide selection of goods from a variety of great vendors. There’s a good variety of vegetable and fruit stalls, with smaller selection of cheese and dairy products, pasta, olive oil, and wine vendors, as well as fresh seafood, meat, pastries, flowers, dates, nuts, chocolates, and ice cream. Towards the end of the market (near Milvia St) you can find several food stalls of local vendors that include coffee, organic juices, and more complete meal options of Himalayan, Mexican, and Thai food.
Crowds: expect for the farmers market to be full, but crowds and vendors are friendly. The lines seem to move pretty quickly.
Size: It’s small in comparison to other markets I’ve been to, but it’s so well balanced that it just works great.
Prices: Fair. Don’t expect for anything to be dirt cheap, but for organic and local products the prices are great. Support your local businesses. Eat and shop local.
Perks: the variety of tomatoes (seriously, I’d never seen these many different kinds!), of greens, and of fruits.
Free samples! Just about every vendor gives out free samples.
Top picks:
I’m sad to realize that I didn’t take down all of the names of my favorite vendors! Here are the few that I remember:
Phoenix Pastificio’s pastries – dear sweet jesus! Try the almond macaroons, trust me on that.
Three Twins ice cream — so far, everything that I’ve tried here is incredible
Andy & Cindy’s Thai — amazing chicken egg rolls, AMAZING — so tasty and fresh
The pluot and plum vendors are great (both of them, can’t remember the name)
(To be updated in the next few weeks)

I love many of the vendor’s s/​a Andy & Cindy’s Thai, Tofu-​yu, Frog Hollow, Riverdog just to name a few. One thing I don’t like is the Ecology Center, it doesn’t have anyone to run the cc#‘s if regular guy is on lunch. They should have someone as a back-​up. Market’s in SF have coverage the whole time the market is open. Berkeley’s a great market, but it’s due to the vendor’s that r there each and every week.

This is a review for the best organic sheep, cow, and goat cheese available locally – a regular at the market. I am from France, and so I grew up eating delicious cheese. Even by French standards, I’m a bit of a cheese snob. Upon moving to California ten years ago, I began my search for truly delicious local cheese. It took me years, but I eventually found ONE cheesemaker who makes cheese that tastes as delicious as I expect: Weirauch Farm & Creamery. Joel and Carleen, the cheesemaker and shepherdess, are the nicest people too, and they follow the highest standards for humanely raised animals (Animal Welfare Institute). I had a chance to visit their farm and was so pleased to see how happy and well cared for their sheep are. These sheep live on gorgeous free-​range pasture, and they get to keep their lambs with them (unusual for farming). They get their organic cow and goat milk from small family dairies in Sonoma and Marin County. Also, if you like meat, be sure to try their lamb – it’s the most tender lamb I have ever had the pleasure of tasting, and also the most mild-​flavored, like an extra-​tender extra-​mild veal.
Their produces are also available at the Thursday *All Organic* Berkeley’s Farmers’ Market on Shattuck & Rose St.

*Same as previous review only time, weather and eats/​drinks this time around.
Time: 1:03pm/61°F rain
Purpose: I’m area for unrelated work meet up. Waiting for owners to show had time to walk around a bit. Feeling that I needed some locally made and not too much calorie laden.
Eats/​Drinks: Satsuma scone from Morell’s Bread $ 2.50 and apple cider from Bernie’s Best $ 2.00. Scone was really made with satuma piece some of that are not even dried out. There was a wedge thats full of pulp, when bitten juice oozes out. This is the true meaning of a scone. Not too sweet or burnt when breaking apart there wasn’t any greasy fingers. How can that be? Apple cider was great too as there were only two samplers tho try from autumn blend and gravenstein. I went with autumn blend as gravenstein was a tad too tart for me. It was sweet but, not that sweet were you’ll need to mix it with water. Perfectly press all natural and definitely no preservatives tasted.

How can you not love a (primarily) organic and local vendor based farmer’s market in downtown Berkeley? A goodly number of vendors with everything you need for a meal in one stroll down the block. I love shopping for a meal the same day it will be prepared, deciding what looks fresh or interesting or in season, and this is the spot to do just that. Chatting with the vendors, asking them about their wares, people watching, listening to the occasional busker is a nice way to start your day!

They have the best seasonal fruits and vegetables, as well as bread, cheese and lunch stands with good food. I Got peaches, strawberry and tomatoes. All were super delicious. The atmosphere is very cozy and the farmers’ lets you sample.

Came to this farmers market with my boyfriend a couple weeks ago for the first time. Not the biggest farmers market I have been to, but they have a nice selection. We picked up some yummy beef jerky and some olives. I also ended up winning a canning started kit from a drawing the ecology center was holding which was kind of cool.

I’m a berkeley-​sacramento commuter so I’ve been to the farmers markets in both cities as well as the one in Davis. This farmers market is probably the better one in Berkeley but it is not as good as the one in Sacramento or Davis.
Vegetables are not as fresh as they should be and limited in varieties but the price is somewhat cheap. Fruits, cheese, bread are nothing to rave about. I always end up stopping by trader joe’s afterward to complete my shopping.
Several things that are the highlights of this market. I love the sprouts stand that has several different pea sprouts and sunflower shoots, the tofu stand offers delicious tofu meals and is definitely a winner. Lastly, blue bottle coffee with its customary long lines and very good coffee. Those three are reasons why I come back.

I love this farmers’ market. It’s just big enough, just small enough, and a little bit of everything.
The vendors are all lovely, from the vegetable people, to the fruit people, to the dairy people, to the oyster people. The only exception here is the fig guy. He’s a little cranky. But that’s ok – he’ll still give you samples. :)
Highlights: the macaroon at the very west end – amazing. The in-​season flowers are usually a screamin’ deal, and the bahri figs, when the cranky fig guy has them. Oh, and I always buy carrots with the tops on; something so Beatrix Potter about them, I almost can’t stand it.
The good: zomg, om nom.
The bad: it’s a farmers’ market; you go there for the conversation, not the prices. Be prepared to pay more, but also talk more, and likely smile more.

Berkeley Farmers Markets are the best!
This is Berkeley’s flagship market. Since it’s on Saturdays, this market can be quite full at times. Families, students, tourists, as well as locals getting their weekly fix.
Each market has a unique set of vendors… though there is a solid group of farmers who show up at all Berkeley markets.
My all time favorite is vendor is RiverDog Farm. Incredible variety of offerings year-​round. My one stop veggie shop. Their produce, in my opinion, is the highest quality and most tasty.
Blue Bottle coffee is always a treat.
The baked goods by Phoenix are always fresh and delicious, if you’re into that sort of thing.
Thank You Ecology Center for creating this beautiful opportunity for the community to get good food!

Cozy in quaint has a few merchants
good apples and radishes here
Price is not quite as good as some of the markets

One of my favorite farmers’ markets around.
The farmers’ market is surprisingly large with meats on the west end of the market and prepared foods on the east send of the market. It’s a perfect set-​up because you can do your shopping and then snack/​eat lunch. They’ve got great fruit/​veggie stands, but they also have some of my favorite prepared food stands including the Hodo Soy products (lots of different products that you can’t get at most grocery stores) and Phoenix Pastificio (beautiful, handmade pasta). For food that’s ready to eat for snacks and lunch, I really enjoy Andy and Cindy’s Thai food and Flaco’s for vegan Mexican food.
Our typical routine is to buy a few taquitos at Flaco’s while we stroll down the street, surveying the vendors and enjoying the day. Having a snack while going through the farmers’ market helps to take the edge off — you can make better decisions without being so hungry!

I feel so fortunate to live by the Berkeley Farmers’ Market this summer. Every Saturday, it brightens my day to go out and look at all the fresh, seasonal produce, beautiful flowers, and delightful smelling breads. The line for coffee always seems a bit long, but that’s the price you pay for good coffee. I rarely leave without a Reaper Bun most days.
It’s a bit overpriced compared to other markets (Berkeley up-​charging), but the convenience and atmosphere can’t be beat.

It’s taken me a long time to warm up to this farmers’ market and I finally have. Partly it’s because I’ve come to know some of the vendors from other farmers’ markets. This market has always seemed too crowded, parking is problematic and it always seemed a bit «Berkeleyer than thou». However, Saturday I needed some organic strawberries for a fruit salad and I knew I could trust the ones here to be organic.
It was a beautiful, sunny day. I found a parking spot across from City Hall and walked over. I passed a flower stand w/​a mass of fragrant freesias, beautiful tulips and irises and other flowers. I promised myself I’d get a bunch of freesias on the way out. I saw OctoberFeast, which has stopped coming to the Kensington farmers’ market and picked up a couple of pretzel croissants. I was surprised and pleased to happen on Frog Hollow Farms. I looked longingly at their risotto tart but decided against it because Sunday was Alan’s birthday and I knew there would be birthday cake around. I found the strawberries and bought a basket. I bought freesias on the way back to the car. It’s a nice market, although I’d still go first to El Cerrito’s farmers’ market on a Saturday morning.

Berkeley farmers markets opens wednesday and sat. this review is for saturdays. lots of metered parking aroun
locale: downtown, center & MLK way
time: 10 a.m.-3, saturdays, year round
organizer: ecology center
vendors of interest
–andy’s & cindy\s thai food: organic
–café zambala-​interesting tibetan food
–curry leaf cuisine
–flaco’s: organic mex
–octoberfest bakery: breads
–phoenix pastificio. pasta. breades
–raw daddy’s fun cone food: $ 5 vegggie food in a cone. tasty
–st. benoit yogurt
–hodo soy: tofu products
notes:
–not a lot of veggie sellers, berkeley bowl nearby?
–interesting food vendors, some unique to berkeley (some go to grand lake also)
–not as packed/​diverse as grand lake but worth a trip.

Despite not being super large, this farmer’s market has lots of wonderful things to offer. Just walking through the market itself, the air smelled fresh with the scent of produce and other goods.
We spent a good amount of time walking around and visiting all the different vendors. I picked up a fresh blueberry pastry to snack on, and another friend got some fresh coffee. I got to try so many things like beef jerky, the sweetest pluots I have ever tasted, and some amazing strawberries. I ended up buying a few baskets of the strawberries to take home. My friends enjoyed some fresh oysters and another vendor had organic ice cream.
If I lived closer, I know I would frequent this farmer’s market a lot more. If you stop by, don’t forget your reusable bag to bring home all the goodies you buy!