North Park Farmers' Market Blog

You’ll find piles of purple, green and yellow string beans at the North Park Thursday Farmers’ Market from Kawano Farms, JR Organics, Valdivia Farm and Suzie’s Farm. Simply steam them and serve with herb roasted chicken from DaLe Ranch for a perfectly simple light dinner, or sautee them with bacon and a healthy handful of crimini mushrooms for a more substantial side dish.

We’re nuts about oven baked string beans with almonds from Smit Orchards or Hopkins AG, and we melt for string beans stewed with heirloom tomatoes and fennel from Suzie’s Farm. Chilled green bean salad is a classic favorite as well. 

But our favorite summer bean dish is a classic salad Nicoise; you’ll find plenty of recipes out there, each one a bit different, but we make ours with plenty of tri-colored string beans, grape tomatoes from JR Organics, potatoes and red bell pepper from Proios Farm, hard boiled egg from Paradise Valley Ranch, black olives from Lisko Imports and a chunk of seared fresh tuna from the Ocean Beach Seafood Truck. Grab a baguette from Belen Bakery and try this recipe too! 

Have a Nicoise Day!

Find the Meat Men’s provocatively named salamis at the North Park Thursday Farmers’ Market, including Naughty Constable (with caraway and juniper berries), Tasty Treason (cardamom and orange), and the Juicy Scandal (spicy red chile and cinnamon). They’re made in San Diego with naturally raised pork free of hormones and antibiotics, and they make an excellent appetizer platter paired with Brigante pecorino from Taste Cheese, sliced apples from Smit Orchards and a branch of grapes from R&L Farm. Fresh sausages include the gouda filled kasekrainer and bratwurst with cheddar. Order one ready-to-eat in a fresh roll with Albert's special sauekraut and variety of mustards. 

Find more fresh sausage at Da Le Ranch, as well as pork, beef, lamb, bison, chicken and rabbit raised in Lake Elsinore, California. Da Le offers individual cuts of meat, weekly or monthly subscription boxes that contain a mix of meat and poultry, and whole or half animals by special order.

Want to eat your meat without doing the cooking? Stop by the Not So Fast food truck and try one of their tasty menu items using Open Space grass fed meats. Chip's Beach Eatz' pulled pork sandwich is another tasty market meat treat!

The taste of meat from the North Park Thursday Farmers’ Market can’t be beat!

LITTLE RED HEN... AND FLOCK

Public Markets like Pike Place in Seattle, Redding Terminal in Pennsylvania and Westside Market in Cleveland used public funds to get started. In San Diego, the City wouldn't do it. The Port said no. No County property donated, or big developers who want to step up.

So we're creating the San Diego Public Market ourselves. But unlike the Little Red Hen in the story, we have a flock of supporters. Ready to join in? Even a few dollars will add to what we need to build this new public gathering place and small business incubator, and we're offering cool rewards to those who help. 

Take a look at our Kickstarter Campaign to see what we're up to, and how you can look back and say you helped build the San Diego Public Market. Whether or not you can donate, you can help by spreading the word. Put the Kickstarter link on your Facebook page (and LIKE ours!), tweet it, email your friends.

Great cities all around the world have vibrant public markets and a network of neighborhood farmers' markets. We want the same for San Diego. A few dollars at a time, we can make a magical place. Thanks for joining our flock!

Shop for dinner, stay for dessert at the North Park Thursday Farmers’ Market! Visit Sunnyside Kitchen for freshly baked cookies just like Mom used to make (but even better!) like Chocolate Delight, Peanut Butter and Mama’s Oatmeal. Don’t miss their banana oatmeal muffins and brownie bites too! Under the Crust has apple crumb, blueberry, lemon and pecan pies among their amazing offerings- check out their mini-pies in tiny tins, perfect for single servings! Grab a few as a hostess gift. Keep strolling down Herman Street to Bluespark Baking for sweet and savory pastry pockets, and grab a signature Bluespark iced coffee while you’re there.  Use Meljess Bee's honey instead of sugar in your baking recipes, like this honey cake with stewed strawberries recipe. You can get the eggs and berries from the North Park Market too! Moncai Vegan bakes carrot cake and fudge brownies, both gluten-free, as well as awesome cinnamon rolls and giant salted caramel cupcakes (a market staff favorite!). Stop by Belen Bakery for a classic tollhouse cookie, scones and blueberry bread to satisfy your sweet tooth. Check out the unusual dessert tamales from Gourmet Tamales, including strawberry apple, orange mango and pumpkin spice. Our farmers' friut always makes a healthy sweet ending to your market meal. Life is short, eat dessert first!