Farm Fresh

Farm Fresh

It’s the height of harvest season, and East Bay farmers markets are at their best. We guide you to what we love most at each of our favorites.

By Charity Ferreira

Photography by Sara Remington

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Walnut Creek

After 25 years in the same location, this farmers market has moved and tripled in size. The market still boasts plenty of attractions for kids, including frequent appearances by the East Bay Depot for Creative Reuse’s hands-on art project table, as well as face painting, balloon animals, and caricature drawings.

Sundays 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., year-round; North Locust Street between Giammona Drive and Lacassie Avenue, www.cccfm.org.

Don’t miss:
-Fresh fish and seafood from Half Moon Bay Seafood.
-Scream sorbets made in Emeryville from organic market produce. Inspired flavors include O’Henry peach, beet-lemon, and strawberry-rhubarb.
-Rainbow Orchards’ overflowing quart-size buckets of blueberries grown in the Sierra foothills of El Dorado County.

Clayton

Little Clayton is drawing big crowds on Saturday mornings ever since the grand opening of the town’s new farmers market last May. “Opening day was 1,800 people, and the next week—when it rained—we still got 1,200,” says market manager Genevieve Krause. Whether it’s a kid on a bike, a retiree strolling the neighborhood, or an entire family pouring out of an SUV, everybody is finding their way to the new market. “This is a commuter community, so Saturdays are perfect for a farmers market,” says Krause.

Saturdays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., May through October; Diablo Street between Main and Center streets, www.pcfma.com.

Don’t miss:
-Greenlee’s cinnamon bread—it makes the world’s best French toast.
-Lujan Farm’s stone fruitand citrus.
-East & West Gourmet Afghani Foods’ spinach bolani bread with sweet jalapeño spread.

Moraga

This large market has a dedicated clientele from all over the area. “You want a good balance of things at a market,” says market director Gail Hayden, who has added orange-flesh honeydew melons, golden raspberries, and fresh crab cocktails to the market’s attractions.

Sundays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., year-round; Moraga Way and Moraga Road, www.cafarmersmkts.com/moraga.html.

Don’t miss:
-G&S Farms’ sweet Brentwood corn, which is picked by headlight at five in the morning and arrives at the market in truckloads staggered throughout the morning to keep up with the demand.
-Mixed salad greens with edible flowers from Happy Boy Farms.
-Heirloom tomato salsa from Swank Farms in Hollister. In accordance with the market rule that requires farmers to grow what they sell, Swank Farms produces every single ingredient in this spectacular salsa, which is delicious on its own or spooned over grilled fish.