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Farmers' Market Report: Davis, CA

One of our favorite things to do while traveling is to explore different farmers' markets, getting a glimpse – and bite! – of the local food and community life. Last week, we visited Davis, which lies at the heart of agricultural land in northern California's Central Valley. On a warm Wednesday evening, the Davis Farmers' Market bustled with fresh produce vendors, local restaurant stands, and families enjoying a picnic and music in the park.

Founded over 30 years ago, the Davis Farmers' Market was one of the first certified farmers' markets in California. The market operates under a permanent structure in the town's Central Park, making it an integral part of the community. With its proximity to farmland, the market has a stunning variety of fresh fruits and vegetables as well as artisanal olive oils, baked goods, and preserves. Here, eating local is not a new trend, but a way of life.

In addition to the year-round Saturday morning farmers' market, a "Picnic in the Park" event is held on Wednesday evenings from March through November. Sadly, we weren't in town for the Saturday market, which residents told us is one of the largest farmers' markets in the state. However, we had a delicious time at the smaller Wednesday market, dining on heirloom tomato gazpacho, yellow plums, and lavender lemonade, and strolling through stands of ripe summer tomatoes, peppers, melons, grapes, peaches, and figs.

(Images: Emily Ho)

Comments (6)

Ah, I'm so jealous! I went to UC Davis and used to love wandering through Farmer's Market. The Saturday one is where I got my first cat.

Farmer's on Wednesdays remindes me of hot evenings spent biking around and then chilling on the grass or playing in the fountain (it's one of the ones that just shoots up out of the sidewalk). The pasteries you can get on Saturday and maybe Wednesdays are great, too.

posted by Tiamat_the_Red on 2008-09-04 13:51:51
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Oh, I should also say that it's not indoors like it looks in the photo. I almost didn't recognise it! It's just a roof over concrete in a park on the corner of 3rd and D. Man, I miss that town.

posted by Tiamat_the_Red on 2008-09-04 13:58:55
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Haha, I did a double-take when I saw that picture! I just moved from Davis to Austin this summer. Is the Saturday market really one of the biggest in the state?

posted by jamiealyse on 2008-09-04 15:42:09
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I miss UC Davis- Alumni

posted by gwengirl on 2008-09-04 16:23:00
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I was relieved to discover that although a lot has changed about Davis since last attending school there, the city remains a friendly town at heart. And the proliferation of finer foods with the agricultural roots of the area extended out all the way to the Napa region was really wonderful.

Seeing how happy people were having a picnic out in the central park, enjoying the band, running through fountains, and treating themselves to delicious offerings (honeydew wasabi popsicles, anyone?) from the Farmer's Market had us wondering how we could find ourselves enough money to move to Davis.

posted by gregory on 2008-09-04 16:37:16
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OMG my home! Yes!

posted by ekoshyun on 2008-09-04 17:20:11
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