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Disillusion at the Santa Barbara Farmer’s Market

Posted on by October 15, 2010
I will get back to the sandwich thing, I promise. I just had to share these photos because the heirloom tomatoes are so incredibly bountiful and the berries…what ARE berries as luscious as that doing in southern California!

A great selection of berries at the Santa Barbara Farmer's Market

Years ago a very wise woman said to me, “I really believe that maturation is the slow and sometimes difficult process of disillusion, beginning with the tooth fairy.”Last Saturday I went to the Santa Barbara Farmers Market, where once again I heard her wise words.
What a surprise. Absolutely delicious, succulent berries including raspberries, Marionberries and Blackberries. When I saw the berries I scoffed, “Too much heat and sun; these will be tasteless.” Instant humility lesson for Northwest food snob. Added to the tart and tasty were juicy, luscious and distinct berry flavors.

Heirloom Tomatoes at Santa Barbara Farmer's Market

And at least 10 stalls offered succulent, fat, juicy and flavorful tomatoes. Five stalls sold heirloom tomatoes, exclusively.  I forged ahead.  Oh My! As the friendly, eager farmers cut into them for me to sample, most exploded in my mouth with juice and rich tomato flavor.

Dry Farmed Tomatoes at Santa Barbara Farmer's Market

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Sadly I had to fly home that day. Clearly visualizing the glazed smirk as the security-checker-agent clucked disapproval and immediate confiscation, I settled for two more tomatoes and a mixed box of berries for the road. Another illusion dissed.

Indian Eggplant and Pinto Bean Pods at Santa Barbara Farmer's Market

By the way, I included the eggplant and bean photo because they are so beautiful together. Aren’t they gorgeous?

Comments

Disillusion at the Santa Barbara Farmer’s Market — 6 Comments

  1. I like the disillusion starting at the Tooth Fairy. But with beautiful real-life realists like you, children should have a good balance between the two…rn…and were the Dry-farmed tomatoes crazy-good? We used to grow them on a farm I interned on in CA. I betchya we can’t even do that here, what with our moisture!rnrnI love this newlsetter! Is it a blog? Then I love this blog!rn

  3. Thanks Sara! It is a blog. You can subscribe to be notified of new posts via email or just add us to your google reader. Hope you are having a good season at Oxbow Farm. -Stephanie

  4. If you love farmers markets, include Santa Barbara and Ojai on your next trip south. Both markets draw from the surrounding farm lands and each has its own character. SB is pretty down to business with a very wide variety of foods and flowers. Ojai is more rural (lots of tie dye everything and dreads) with added spectacular crafts and organic herbs, fruits and vegetables from small farms.

  5. Yes, the dry-farmed tomatoes simply burst with tart, full fruit flavor, much like the perfectly ripe cherry tomatoes grown in the northwest. I had not tasted as flavorful a tomato before.

  6. We currently go to Atwater and Highland Park (both small and near our place in LA). We’re lucky to have so many great certified organic markets that come to us 😉 Many of them come from the Santa Ynez and SB area. We will definitely make a day trip up to SB and back through Ojai asap. Will let you know what we pick up. Keep up the good works here. Love the info. Added your link now. Cheers!

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