Turns out farmers markets can teach you more than how sweet organic strawberries can be.They can teach you about some of the best breakthroughs in healthy eating for low-income families: specifically, Electronic Balance Transfer cards (the modernday food stamp), which are increasingly accepted at our area's open-air markets.
They can illuminate what it means to be a certified farmers market vendor: namely, you have to demonstrate you're a down-in-the-dirt farmer and not a broker.
They can instruct on taste, freshness, seasonal eating and sustainable communities.
But they can't really teach you how many different hubs of fresh and local produce we are lucky enough to enjoy, let alone where and when—though you can't really blame them, since new ones are (thankfully) sprouting up all the time; just this month Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital and little ol' Greenfield added markets—and given the different organizers involved, it's hard to find a list of all the markets in one place.
Three words. Not any more.
Here are Monterey County's glorious farmers markets, listed by day, with vital stats like seasonality, number of prepared foods and amount of organic purveyors.
Props to Weekly editorial intern Daniel DeCamp, whose day job is translating in local courts. He took on the brave task of translating all the information out there into this handy sequential guide, which will appear in the next print edition of Edible in a simplified format.
MONDAYSSeaside Farmers Market - CHAMP
Est. 2010
When: Monday 4-8pm. Open year round.
Where: University Plaza at Fremont Blvd. and Echo Ave. in Seaside
EBT and WIC: WIC only.
Contact: Joe Aliotti - 905-1407 or 920-1088; champfarmermarkets@comcast.net
Average number of vendors: 35
Certified organic producers: 3
Certified producers: 5
Prepared food: 10
Artisans: 17
Pacific Grove Farmers Market
Est. 2008
When: Monday 4-7pm. Open year-round.
Where: Lighthouse Ave. from Forest Ave. to 17th St. in Pacific Grove.
EBT and WIC: Yes.
Contact: Everyone's Harvest - 384-6961; ipeppard@csumb.edu; www.everyonesharvest.org
Average number of vendors: 28
Certified organic producers: 13
Certified producers: 9
Prepared food: 5
Artisans: 1
TUESDAYS
Old Monterey Market Place
Est. 1991
When: Tuesday 4-8pm. Open year-round.
Where: Alvarado St. between Del Monte Ave. and Pearl St. in Monterey.
EBT and WIC: No
Contact: Ray Headley - 655-2607
Average number of vendors: 90
Certified organic producers: 15
Certified producers: 35
Prepared food: 10
Artisans: 30
The Barnyard Farmers Market - Carmel
Est. 2004
When: Tuesday 9am-1pm. Open May to September.
Where: The Barnyard Shopping Village in Carmel.
EBT: No; WIC: Yes.
Contact: Catherine Barr - 728-5060; mbaycfm1@aol.com
Average number of vendors: 21
Certified organic producers: 7
Certified producers: 14
Prepared food: 0
Artisans: 0
WEDNESDAYS
Toro Elementary Farmers Market - CHAMP
Est. 2008
When: Wednesday 4-8pm. Open March to October.
Where: Toro Elementary School, 22500 Portola Drive in Salinas.
EBT and WIC: WIC only.
Contact: Joe Aliotti - 905-1407 or 920-1088; champfarmermarkets@comcast.net.
Average number of vendors: 12
Certified organic producers: 2
Certified producers: 5
Prepared food: 5
Artisans: 0
Natividad Farmers Market
Est. 2010
When: Wednesday 11am-4pm. Open June 2 to October 27.
Where: Natividad Medical Center, 1441 Constitution Blvd., in front of Outpatient Services, Building 200 in Salinas.
EBT and WIC: Yes.
Contact: Everyone's Harvest - 384-6961; ipeppard@csumb.edu; www.everyonesharvest.org
Average number of vendors: 7
Certified organic producers: 5
Certified producers: 2
Prepared food:
Artisans: 0
THURSDAYS
Monterey Peninsula College Farmers Market
Est. 1976
***COME AUG. 6 THE MPC MARKET WILL CHANGE TO FRIDAYS FROM 10am-2pm - WITH THE SAME VENDORS
When: Thursday 2:30-6. Open year-round.
Where: Monterey Peninsula College, 970 Fremont St., north side of campus on lower level parking lot.
EBT: No; WIC: Yes.
Contact: Catherine Barr - 728-5060; mbaycfm1@aol.com.
Average number of vendors: 49
Certified organic producers: 13
Certified producers: 29
Prepared food: 0
Artisans: 0
Alisal Community Farmers Market
Est. 1999
When: Thursday 9am-5pm. Open June to late November.
Where: 632 E. Alisal St. in Salinas
EBT and WIC: Yes.
Contact: Sara Housman - 796-2862; housmansm@co.monterey.ca.us
Average number of vendors: 4
Certified organic producers: 3
Certified producers: 1
Prepared food: 0
Arisans: 0
Soledad Farmers Market
Est. 2006
When: Thursday 4-8pm. Open June to October.
Where: Front St. and Encinal St. in Soledad.
EBT and WIC: Yes.
Contact: Colby or April Bell - 402-6616; oldtownsoledad@yahoo.com
Average number of vendors: 8
Certified organic producers: 4
Certified producers: 1
Prepared food: 2
Artisans: 1
Lincoln Elementary Farmers Market - CHAMP
Est. 2010
When: Thursday 4-8pm
Where: Lincoln Elementary School in Salinas, 705 California St.
EBT and WIC: WIC only.
Contact: Joe Aliotti - 905-1407 or 920-1088; champfarmermarkets@comcast.net
Average number of vendors: 32
Certified organic producers: 5
Certified producers: 4
Prepared food: 13
Artisans: 10
FRIDAYS
Boronda Square Farmers Market
When: Friday 4-8pm. Open year round.
Where: N. Sanborn and Boronda Roads in Salinas.
EBT and WIC: WIC only.
Contact: Joe Aliotti - 905-1407 or 920-1088; champfarmermarkets@comcast.net
Average number of vendors: 30
Certified organic producers: 4
Certified producers: 5
Prepared food: 11
Artisans: 10
SATURDAYS
Old Town Salinas Farmers Market
Est. 2007
When: Saturday 8am-2pm. Open year-round.
Where: S. Main St. and Central Ave. in Salinas.
EBT and WIC: WIC only.
Contact: Joe Aliotti - 905-1407 or 920-1088
champfarmermarkets@comcast.net
Average number of vendors: 45-50
Certified organic producers: 6
Certified producers: 6
Prepared food: 13
Artisans: 20
Greenfield Farmers Market
Est. 2007
When: Saturday 10am-2pm. Open June 5 to end of October.
Where: Palm Ave. between El Camino Real and 9th St in Greenfield.
EBT and WIC: WIC only.
Contact: Everyone's Harvest - 384-6961; ipeppard@csumb.edu; www.everyonesharvest.org
Average number of vendors: 14
Certified organic producers: 4
Certified producers: 3
Prepared food:3
Artisans: 4
SUNDAYS
Marina Farmers Market
Est. 2003
When: Sunday 10am-2pm. Open year-round.
Where: Marina Village Shopping Center, 215 Reservation Road, Marina.
EBT and WIC: Yes.
Contact: Everyone's Harvest - 384-6961; ipeppard@csumb.edu; www.everyonesharvest.org
Average number of vendors: 26
Certified organic producers: 5
Certified producers: 5
Prepared food: 6
Artisans: 10
The Del Monte Farmers Market
Est. 2009
When: Sunday 8am-12pm. Open May to October.
Where: Del Monte Shopping Center, 1401 Del Monte Center, Monterey - in the Whole Foods parking lot.
EBT: No; WIC: Yes.
Contact: Catherine Barr - 728-5060; mbaycfm1@aol.com.
Average number of vendors: 10
Certified organic producers: unknown
Certified producers: unknown
Prepared food: 0
Artisans: 0
