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Farmers' Market: Summer produce giving way to fall varieties

By Glenn Johnson/Contributor

Fall really is the season of change, even at the Farmers’ Market.

Much of the summertime produce is starting to give way to varieties that are more prevalent in the fall and winter. This is also reflected in a change in the growers coming to the market.

Some growers specialize in summer veggies, just as others plan to bring winter tree crops. But this is just a variation on the idea of buying what’s in season when it’s in season.

By paying attention to the seasonal changes, the customer can get what ever is ripest and most flavor full at a given time. You will find that a taste meal works best if you work with mother nature rather than try to get produce that is out of season.

One of the biggest changes recently has to do with the flagging economy. All of the markets over the last couple of weeks have been slower than usual.

We have seen this kind of behavior before. When there have been downturns in the economy, business at the Farmers’ Market slows down.

We have survived such times over the last 30 years, and we will do so again. Because in the end, the only place you can get truly locally-grown produce served up by the growers themselves is at a local Certified Farmers’ Market.

And that includes the Nipomo Farmers’ Market.

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The third annual turkey give away will take place on Nov. 23, the Sunday before Thanksgiving. Keep your eyes open for more details as we get closed to the event. Free turkeys: Someone’s going to be happy!

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Now on to what’s at the market now. As always, the biggest-selling item is the roses. They have continued to sell well each and every week. This time of the year is still showing plenty of fruits on the tables.

Peaches, nectarines, plums and Asian pears are all avaliable each week.

Also available are grapes, persimmons, nuts, rasins and strawberries. If you are looking ahead to Thanksgiving dinner, you will be happy to know that there are both yams and sweet potatoes at the market, as well as several kinds of winter squash.

There are several niche items at the market as well. You can find local eggs, honey, pineapple guavas and kale.

The seedles mandarin oranges will be here by the end of the month, but for those of you who want local avocados, you’re just going to have to wait until February.

The Farmers’ Market is held every Sunday, rain or shine, from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. across from the Post Office on Tefft Street.

Grower Glenn Johnson writes a regular column for the Adobe Press.