Paul M.
Yelp
It took me several years to find this Farmer's Market, but what a find! When in season, the local fresh fruit, nuts, veges, cheese, eggs, etc... are simply incredibly amazingly delicious and fresh beyond belief. When you find your particular favorites, from the various vendor samples, you will be in gourmet heaven. I have never tasted such an incredible selection in my life, even thought I used to spend my childhood summers on my cousins farm in PA. The foods & prices here make Whole Foods & Trader Joes look like terrible rip-off Gas Station Foodmarts or the Grocery in Lanai, Hawaii (complete with fungus)!
This Farmer's Market appears right next to the downtown Modesto Library so you can use their Parking Area for free. The city closes off a one block section of the street and the vendors are there from about 8AM till 1 PM every Thursday and Saturday (more vendors & music) from, I believe, March till December. They all take cash (about $50 will get you two big shopping bags worth) and some accept debit cards. It is hard for me to believe that this has been going on for about 30 years or so! Where have I been hiding?
Let me break down some my favorite goodies/stands for you (many are Organic):
1- Veges- Heirloom or Beefsteak tomatos ($1-3/pd- WOW!); Purple/Yellow/or Orange Carrots with tops; Beets with leaves;
Purple Long Beans; Yam Leaves; Raw Peanuts; Yams; Basil; Squash; Pumpkins; etc...(Most vendors are local, organic, & fresh, but some sneak-in "supermarket stuff", so beware).
2- Fruits- White Nectarines (sweetest), Yellow Nectarines (sweet/sour), Pluots (sweet), Muscat & other local "wine" Grapes
(unbelievable) are all $1.50pd more or less. Apples are not local.
3- Nuts- the fresh flavored nut stand is outstandingly tasty and fresh. They also have great Almond Butter, Sundried Tomatos, & Cherries.
4- Jams- This vendor out of Sonora cans delicious unique jams & pickles all kinds of things (e.g. Okra). One great jam is two types of berries with liquor.
5- Cheese- Another vendor out of Oakdale makes excellent cheeses. The fresh "Cheese Curds" are tasty.
6-Eggs- Fresh farm eggs. It is great to know were your eggs are coming from now-days.
7-Cooked Food- "Filipino/ Hawaiian type" food vendor- great pulled pork sandwiches and my favorite...lumpia shanghai...makes a great lunch with a fresh sliced tomato and fresh fruit for desert.
Shop around and look at all the vendors offerings before you buy because even though the prices are great in general, you may always find someone with a more incredible deal, especially near closing time when they start to pack-up. There are some limited generally tasteful arts and crafts, but no-where near the "junk" at any given Flea Market. Since the stuff is local (anywhere from Gilroy to Fresno to Sonora) and seasonal, get it when you can. You may want to bring a cooler or shopping bag on a wheeled luggage cart, with a few pounds of this or that, we are talking really heavy food.
Enjoy!!!!!!!