Field to Food

Farm Tour - Farm Fresh to You

Sorry we've been away for a short bit - things have been very busy around here.  

The other weekend we had a great time on the Farm Fresh to You farm tour.  FFTY is an example of a CSA - Community Supported Agriculture.  Customers sign up with FFTY to receive regular shipments of mixed fruits and vegetables.  It's a great way to eat locally and organically.  The tour was interesting and a lot of fun.  There were several families out for the day with us, and it was a gorgeous day:

 

Our tour was led by Farmer Thad, who led us on a short walk through the fields.

Berkeley Bowl

Spending the summer in Berkeley meant shopping at the Berkeley Bowl.  It is difficult to describe the store to the uninitiated without being interrupted to hear it sounds just like any other grocery store.  Sure, it has a lot in common with a typical supermarket, but it doesn't have just one or two options for a product.  Berkeley Bowl has virtually every option available for a product-- one article mentioned a selection of 15 different organic apples.  The low prices and extensive selection are unparalleled.  True to it roots as a produce market, Berkeley Bowl maintains the largest, most complete selection of produce that I have ever seen.  When I saw the produce section for the first time, I literally gasped out loud.  It was my version of heaven on Earth.

Monterey Market Mention

I wrote about Monterey Market earlier this week, wondering how to recreate it elsewhere.  Well it looks like an expert from Monterey is consulting elsewhere.  Here is the an SF Chronicle blurb:

Bill's return: It's been a couple of months since produce expert Bill Fujimoto parted ways with his family business, Monterey Market in Berkeley (1550 Hopkins St.). But Berkeley's loss is Lafayette's gain - Fujimoto is consulting with Diablo Foods (3615 Mount Diablo Blvd.) to strengthen the market's produce section.

Fujimoto says he's looking to make the selection more seasonal. "I'm just trying to celebrate what's going on outside," he says. "It's been very satisfying for me."

Monterey Market

Monterey Market has the most amazing selection of produce.  I love the concept of this place.  The market works directly with a wide range of farmers to supply fresh fruit and vegetables at incredibly competitive prices. Under an enormous canopy, the outside section features the ripest in season offerings.  Matt and I spent the month of August trying as many new melon varieties as we could and Monterey Market proved to be a fantastic resource. 

After living in several large cities and paying through the nose for fresh produce, I wonder if it would be possible to introduce this type of market in other cities.  I would like to interview the owners to understand why it works in Berkeley and what may be transferable to other locations.  The quality of the product and the low prices are unbeatable. 

Farmers markets allow farmers and consumers to interact.  Monterey Market provides an everyday farmers market experience pairing central distribution with a critical mass of variety.  Although the link the to farmer is not as direct, the market makes sure to label each item with the name of the farm that grew it.  Having hit a number of local farmer markets, I felt like I recognized the farm names or at least knew the locations of the farms.  Not the same as meeting the farmer or going directly to the source, but it is nice to make the connection.