Beca C.
Yelp
I can't think of a nicer way to start a late summer weekend with a morning trip to a farmer's market, big or small. The Chico farmer's market is quaint, but packed with plenty to see, smell, taste and listen to. Some amazing things: the rainbows of heirloom tomatoes, melons, peppers, avocados, nuts, and more.
Do a quick lap through the small layout to determine who has the best prices and best produce before you buy and you will find some unique gems. I scored great deals on 100% pure almond butter, almonds, o.g. red bell peppers (3 for $1.50, compared to $7.99/lb where I am from!). Shoulda bought that whole bag avocados for less than $5! At least I found an awesome display of cacti and succulent starts and took home to Oregon an exotic aloe. The coffee stand that features a lot of different roast blends offers your choice for a cup of joe. Pretty damn cool.
There are always a couple of misses: I ordered a peach filled donut from the popular donut guy, and received one filled with berries instead. Also, the pomegranate booth that features marinades, syrups, sauces, and other things had a salesman who was uber aggressive with his sales technique. He didn't listen when I told him what I wanted to sample, and tried to force all of his products onto my sample spoon in under a minute, and then seemed put out when I didn't buy anything. Here's a tip: listen to your customers, and give them time to actually taste the product before offering/not pressuring, another sample.
Props to Chico for offering free downtown parking, and a rocking little market!