Getting My Weekly Market Fix – San Diego, CA
The drop was going to happen in an abandoned parking lot off the freeway north of town. I had very specific instructions. Park in the lot at exactly 10am and bring cash. She was going to park next to me in a white nondescript van and we were going to transfer the goods to my trunk. I was nervous, but I needed my fix badly and this was the only person I’d found in the city who could get me the goods. I asked her to bring 5 packs, the most I dared carry.
It was all going to go smoothly, she assured me, just don’t forget the cash.
That was almost 4 years ago in Missouri and you’ll be happy to know the story ended well. I got my “stock” and enjoyed several weeks of blissful indulgence thereafter. Since that time I’ve gotten much better at procuring my goods, and these days I rarely go without.
I’m talking about pastured eggs of course (honestly what were you thinking?).
You see one of our goals when we moved into our RV all those years ago was a healthy lifestyle and that meant buying (as much as possible) real, natural foods. I’ve struggled with weight issues on and off in my life and Paul and I used to be fairly overweight at one point (we’re talking at least 40 lbs heavier than we are now). The way we finally lost it, once and for all, was by adopting a whole foods approach to our diet. Just eliminate the processed stuff plus most of the “white” stuff and eat real food.
We’re not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, I mean we do indulge in beer tastings and such on {ahem} occasion, but we do our best to stay on track. One of the keys to that approach has been buying local, organic veggies and (when we can) pastured/grass-fed meat and dairy. And although it’s more trouble when you’re “on the move” it’s really not as difficult as you think.
With the growth of “locavore” culture most US cities these days, even little podunk ones in the desert, offer some kind of organic veggies even if it’s just at the local grocery store or Walmart. The vast majority even have farmers markets and a quick google of “farmers market in xxx town” before you arrive will usually get you the lowdown. Pastured meat and eggs can be more difficult to procure and I admit we don’t always get them, but online resources like eatwild.com can help find the nearest spot. We’ve even driven “the beast” onto farms from this site just to find our fix.
And then of course there’s San Diego which is a whole different universe of farmers market craziness. In this town the idea of a local farmers market is so ingrained it’s considered an absolute breathing, living necessity. There’s not just one market here, there’s one is EVERY single neighborhood and you could easily shop for fresh farmers veggies MULTIPLE times EVERY single day of the week. The markets thrive in their ability to be slightly different, each one with it’s own personality and flair. Even if farmers markets aren’t your “thing” if you come to San Diego you’ve got to experience at least one of them. In the week we’ve been here we’ve already been to three, and these are just our favorite ones:
Ocean Beach – Ocean Beach is by far the most eclectic, hippy, alternative, free-spirited, grunge neighborhood in San Diego. You don’t come here for the Armani store oh noooo, you come here for the smoke shop, the guy in the kilt playing bagpipes on the beach at sunset, the young girl dancing hoops in her flower dress, the infamous dog beach and the hip surfers cutting waves through the pier. And yeah, you either love it or you hate it. The Wednesday night farmers market here is a direct reflection of all that craziness in one spot. It’s got a good selection of fresh veggies (vastly improved over the years we’ve been going) in addition to tie-die shops, crystal booths, eateries (tons and tons), knitted hats, cookies and (of course) rocking, live music. It’s crowded, crazy and a TON of fun.
DETAILS: Wednesday: 4 pm – 7 pm (October – March), 5 pm – 8 pm (April – September). Link to website HERE.
Hillcrest – If design and style had a home the quaint, little neighborhood of Hillcrest would be the place. Set amidst trendy shops, vintage clothing stores, local eateries and impeccable condos this is one of the nicest farmers markets in the city IMHO. Looking for real grass-fed butter? Artisan cheese? The best roasted cofeee? Or just really fresh, awesome veggies? Then, this is your farmers market. When we lived in San Diego this was the market we frequented most often since it has it all (and it’s all good) and we still love it today. Make a whole day out of it by following your market visit with a trip to the local brewery and a walk around nearby Balboa Park or a visit to the awesome San Diego De Alcala Mission.
DETAILS: Sunday: 9 am – 2 pm. Link to website HERE.
Little Italy – San Diego’s “downtown” area has a feel all it’s own. Between the high-rise buildings and the historic Gaslamp area, you’ll feel like you were transported from laid-back surfer spot to a cosmopolitan town somewhere on the East Coast. Things are done bigger here and the farmers market reflects that. Little Italy hosts the largest farmers market in the city. Four long blocks packed with food, veggies, juice, soaps, oils, fermented stuff, meats you-name-it, it’s huge and abundant. Stop for a fresh coffee, hit one of the local eateries and stock up to the brim. If you can’t get it here, well…you can’t get it anywhere.
DETAILS: Saturday: 8 am – 2 pm. Link to website HERE.
Pacific Beach – The little beach-town of Pacific Beach, known for it’s gorgeous water views and long, relaxed boardwalk is an up-and-coming neighborhood in San Diego. Back in the day this was the student hangout/party spot of the city (and there’s still some of that vibe going on), but it’s also changed over the years with the introduction of upscale eateries and breweries, and the Pacific Beach farmers markets are evolving just like the neighborhood. They’re mostly smaller affairs and don’t have anywhere close to the flair of three above, but they make a nice little combo-trip. This is the perfect place to ride your bicycle along the beach, hit a brewery/eatery and then buy a few veggies for the trip home. Plus with both Trader Joe’s and Sprouts in the same neighborhood you will find everything you need in one place.
DETAILS: Tuesday: 2 – 7 pm and Sunday: 10 am – 2 pm. Link to info HERE.
Those are my fav veggie fix spots in the city. There are many, many more of course, but in the interest of keeping my blog readers awake I’ll stop it here. Have you visited any of these? What is your favorite farmers market of all (anywhere)? Comment and share below!
Note/ A NOTE ON DOGS. All the farmers markets in San Diego will have a sign saying something like “dogs not permitted according to California law”, yet almost every single market we’ve been to has dogs. What gives? Honestly the only thing I can tell you is that folks just ignore the signs and bring their pooch anyway. Some markets seem to be “stricter” than others. OB is the most relaxed (seriously, dogs everywhere!) whereas somewhere like Hillcrest seems to be more restrained. We’ve never seen any enforcement/ticketing, but we’ve not pushed it either (we never bring Polly since she doesn’t like crowds anyway). Now you know too and you can make your own judgement if you come.
- List of ALL San-Diego Farmers Markets -> San Diego Farmers Market
- Pastured Meat, Dairy & Eggs farms across the USA -> Eatwild.com
- Blog Post -> An Alternative State Of Mind – Ocean Beach, San Diego, CA
- Blog Post ->Frolicking In Nation’s Largest Urban Cultural Park – Balboa Park, San Diego CA
- Blog Post ->Discovery Of A Mission, And A Few New Friends – San Diego de Alcalá, CA
My question is “how do you know” what you are getting? How do you know it’s “pasture-fed”, etc.?
If you buy at the farmers market you can discuss with the person selling the goods. Typically people who sell pasture-fed goods are very passionate about it and happy to talk in detail about their produce. If the meat is labelled “grass-fed” you can be more sure since there is actually a specific USDA definition for that :
USDA GRASS-FED DEFINITION
“Grass and forage shall be the feed source consumed for the lifetime of the ruminant animal, with the exception of milk consumed prior to weaning. The diet shall be derived solely from forage consisting of grass”
And of course if you actually visit the farm, you can see first-hand how the animals are being handled.
Also, I find pastured eggs & meat taste completely different from the regular stuff. Pastured eggs are typically easy to spot since they have super-dark yokes (no comparison at all to regular eggs). Pastured meat is more difficult to spot, but it tends to be leaner (esp. beef) and the taste is very different from grain-fed.
None of this is 100% certain of course, but we do our best.
Nina
Thank you Nina, for the post and the reply. Please know I was not being critical But with so much going on today whereby the answer is typically “follow the money”, I tend to be skeptical of some things purported to be “organic” or “pasture-fed” unless, as you have alluded, I know and trust the vendor, having stood face-to-face with them OR, as you also mentioned, I’m actually standing on the farm from which it came.
And, I too also loved your intro.
No problem at all. In fact I share your skepticism. Food labels have loop holes and ensuring you are getting quality, organic stuff can sometimes be tricky. It’s important to ask questions and (as much as possible) get to know your farmer.
Nina
Nina~~ I love your lead in to this post. “Getting your fix” – of fresh fruits and veggies, that is! Very creative indeed. I must ask, when you said you were both overweight some years back – 40 pounds overweight – is that combined weight or EACH? You are both so fit I can’t imagine either of you ever having excess weight.
I enjoyed all the info on the farmers markets. Very informative, as always.
That would be EACH! I still have a picture of what we looked like back them (I keep it around as a reminder), but I’ve always been too chicken to post it online.
Nina
Nina…your lead in is just one of the many reasons I so much value your Blog. Great fun! I always look forward to the great information or just plain fun that you have in store for us each entry. Thanks Steve and Queenie Malcolm
Thanks! I had lots of fun writing that intro 🙂
Nina
Thank you for mentioning EatWild.com I wasn’t aware of them, and it can be a struggle to find grassfed beef and other nutrient dense foods as a nomad.
Eatwild has been a HUGE resource for us in our travels. The lady in Missouri who procured me my egg-fix was a contact I got from that site (and by the way, her eggs we amazing), and we’ve used it to find farms from Florida to Washington. I’ve always been impressed with the quality of contacts we’ve gotten from that site. Can’t recommend it enough!
Nina
Great city, we did the same things and have enjoyed it very much. We will be sad to Leave California Saturday. Great post on things to do in San Diego. We love Coronado and how easy it is to go to San Diego.
Coronado is another super-cool neighborhood. We LOVE the Dog Beach there, and of course the historic hotel. There’s so many great areas to see here. San Diego is a tough, tough town to leave.
Nina
Thanks, Nina, for the fun post! Makes me miss San Diego. Cheers to lots of good eatin’!!
Indeed…I just hope my pants survive 🙂
Nina
Great post Nina. Loved the intro also. Your blog has taught Lisa and I so many things we feel like we have a leg up on full-timing and we move into the RV and leave in April. I have left the processed food behind too and this post is a great resource. San Diego is a fun place. It looks like you are enjoying your stay. Thanks again, Connie
Congrats on the upcoming fulltime plans! Enjoy the road!
Nina
I think it is a good move to by locally from farmers. Farmers’ markets are not always what they seem. There are farmers at the markets but some of the people are really retailers that go to regional markets and get their produce wholesale and then resale the goods. I try to get into a conversation with the seller and find out where their farm is and if they actually raised what they are selling. Of course, there is no assurance that they are telling the truth. It is still “buyer beware” philosophy that must rule the day.
Totally agree! I always try to talk to the farmers and get to know them. The ones who are legit and raise their food properly are typically very passionate about what they do, and happy to talk in detail about their products.
Nina
Great info, as we may be heading to San Diego in a couple weeks, if we ever get out of Yuma!
We’ll still be here if you end up passing through. The spot we’re staying (Mission Bay RV Resort) is expensive if you pay the regular daily rate, but they offer Passport America 50% off Mon-Thurs, and the location just rocks. Monthly rate is good too.
Nina
You just can’t beat the Eugene, Oregon farmer’s market, but in San Diego I vote for Hillcrest! We didn’t miss a single Sunday and have great memories of the delicious food and neat people (2 and 4 footed) we ran across there. I wish we had known about the others, that just gives us another reason to go back….maybe this winter?
Sue
The Eugene, OR market is one of my all time favorites too. The Astoria, OR market ranks high on the list as well. I love Oregon food!
Nina
Wow, that lead-in really had Mona Liza and I going there for a minute, we thought you were in Colorado! But then I realized I’d never heard of a “pack of pot”.
Your story about all of those wonderful places to get healthy foods makes us consider scooting over to SOCAL next winter even more of a possibility. Thanks for the great information!
P.S. I’ll let you know if there is such a thing as a “pack of pot” when we get to Denver in May 🙂
California, especially San Diego is an awesome place to spend winter. We did it our first two years and wouldn’t hesitate to come back.
Here’s a post I wrote on exactly that topic:
https://www.wheelingit.us/2012/03/09/5-reasons-to-rv-snowbird-in-san-diego/
And do let me know how the packs go LOL…
Nina
You and Paul were overweight???? I cannot believe it. But then Debbie dropped 60 pounds and I dropped 100 pounds. Eat healthy and exercise is what we did. Some weight has come back but not like before. We both still try to eat healthy and exercise on aregular basis.
Whoah!! 60 and 100lbs! That is just amazing! Congrats and kudos to you both! We’ve been there and I definitely understand the struggle. I’ve really battled my weight for many, many years on and off. I’m not exactly where I want to be, but it’s so much better these days than it used to be.
Nina
I recalled from your last San Diego area visit, that you had fallen for the charm of OB. It really is a place where ‘State of Mind’ usually was the result of alternative stimuli:)! Now, it’s become a true ‘Life Choice’ culture.
As we’re just above you in Bay Park, please keep the secret of our weather safe from the masses back East. I assure all of you in the East and Mid West – we’re sitting in the middle of floods, sleet, snow, rain, volcanoes, locust, swarming wild crazed birds, and an abundance of politicians – San Diego is best avoided by all!!!
When hitting Little Italy, a swing up and thru Balboa Park is always a fun few hours. And how long as it been since you and Paul have been to a zoo? San Diego’s Zoo is a great day visit!!!
Enjoy your stay – may bump into you as I go to Camper Land to fill my LP bottle for our S&B BBQ, which is running low!!!
Best,
Smitty
I do have to admit the weather here is the best I’ve seen in the nation {sigh}. I didn’t realize how truly amazing it was until we left. Still haven’t found anywhere that rivals it.
And yes Balboa Park and the Zoo are both great stops, although for the latter I actually prefer the Wild Animal Safari Park up north in Escondido. Such a unique place.
Nina
Nina, I sense a bit of depression (hint hint) and perhaps you need you dog always by your side (hint hint) so that you can stay off of those depression pills (hint hint), frankly, I think Polly would be the PERFECT emotional support dog for you, and as such, has the rights of any service dog to always be with you. Just a thought…. –Dave (GoingRvWay.com)
ps: perhaps a Mexican Doctor could provide you the needed medical letter that helps prove that you ‘need’ an emotional support dog, but frankly, it when asked about it, the only thing a person can legally ask you is “why do you need a service animal” and “what service do they perform”.
HA! Yeah the service dog concept is definitely a good one. Sadly I’m too much of a goodie-two-shoes (and an utterly terrible liar) to get away with it. I could just see myself completely breaking down as soon as anyone asked me if Polly was really a service dog. “Errrrr…well…sure…I mean kind of…technically..not really.. oh s*it”.
Nina
Oceanside has an awesome market on THURS., believe 5 pm to 9 pm – might vary seasonally. Covers at least 4 blocks. Live music, many food vendors, farmer market type stuff and all kinds of other stuff.
Good to know. That’s actually one of the few I have not tried in San Diego. We’ll have to get ourselves up there to check it out.
Nina
I’m sure you’ve covered this in the past, but we’re new and considering extended trips. How do you handle your mail?
We have a mail forwarding service in South Dakota. The address also acts as our domicile for tax purposes (plus drivers license, insurance etc.). All our mail goes there and we get it forwarded to us wherever we are around once a month. Most fulltime RVers chose a service in either SD, TX or FL.
Nina
Well, you hit all my favorites. Next time you’re at the Hillcrest Farmers Market, check out the Spring Hill Cheese Company, they only have a few varieties of cheese, but also European style butter – yum! Worth the splurge – they also had copies with some very interesting information/articles about cholesterol last year.
Brenda
I think I had their butter last time we went. Totally agree that it rocked!
Nina
Eat Wild is another great resource you have alerted us to. And the “pack” I seek usually has “6” in front of it. So many craft beers, so little time. ☺
Don’t I know it. At the moment we’re working through the 100 or so microbreweries that are in San Diego. Sooooo much good craft beer and I can only do a little at a time. A detailed blog post on this is coming….
Nina
Thanks so much for this post, especially the Eat Wild reference! My husband, 3 month old baby boy, dog (an 8 year old white boxer), 14 year old cat, and I are going to hit the road as full-timers within the next month or so. I’ve followed your blog for a while now and have learned so much. One of my biggest concerns is the availability of organic food, so I found this post particularly helpful. Hopefully we’ll see ya on the road someday! Thanks again 🙂
Excellent! You may also enjoy this post with my 6 tips to buying and eating fresh on the road:
https://www.wheelingit.us/2014/10/24/6-tips-to-buying-eating-fresh-on-the-road/
And a big congrats on the upcoming adventure too! Hope the road turns out to be everything you dreamed of.
Nina
That intro though…fantastic! (and a great post too!)
I love your blog. I’m just starting out at an age most people are hanging it up! Oh well, gotta get started sometime. Regarding farmers markets, back in 1999 (yes it was a lifetime ago) I was in the Orange County area for a Y2K project for my company and found a farmers market that was huge and sooooo great! I want to be out that way in the late summer, so I’m asking you, do you know anything about this market. It had a restaurant of some sort; live music; and rows, rows and rows of vendors. It claimed to be one of the largest farmers market/flea market in CA. Just thought you might know where it is so I could find my way back.
Keep up the good work!
Sadly I have no idea. Back when we lived in the area we rarely made it north past Oceanside. Hope you manage to find it again.
Nina
I am really enjoying your blog! I think I am just about a month or so behind you. I am looking forward to visiting the markets in San Diego. Any other tips for San Diego?
See you down the road!
Oh I have TONS of tips for the town. The lighthouse at Point Loma, Balboa Park, San Diego De Alcala Mission, The Wild Animal Safari, Hotel Del Coronado, hiking out by Santee Lakes….If you do a search for my posts tagged “San Diego” you’ll see lots of these written up.
Nina
One of the best resources of finding local produce, meat, eggs and more is http://www.localharvest.org
Yes, that’s an excellent resource too. I’ve mentioned it in previous farmers markets posts, but totally forgot to include it in this one. Thanks for the reminder!
Nina
This is a fun post, Nina. And some helpful info for folks looking to improve their diets and have a good time doing it.
Since you’ll be in NE Oregon for part of this summer, I’ll give you this interesting item a came across today. It’s the Eastern Oregon Beer Fest in La Grande, Oregon in June. This isn’t real far from where you’ll be in the Wallowa Mountains. Here’s the link: http://www.eobeerfest.com
As always, enjoy and have fun!
Eat to be healthy, drink to be merry! 🙂
Eobeeriest.com
Cool….I’ll have to see if we can wrangle that one into the plans.
Nina
Thanks SO much for this post. The next time I get to SD I’ll be sure to give the markets a try. Just curious how the prices are in SD. My experience at most farmers market is the prices are premium which has always mystified me since there’s no middle-man taking a cut.
FWIW I visited SD for the first time 10-15 years ago and stumbled upon Ocean Beach and thought it was the one place I would actually want to leave Seattle for when I hit retirement. Well time goes by and memories fade and as much as I looked online and tried to remember where that super cool SD beach area was, I was stumped. Until now. So thanks for the write-up and reminder of why I need to get back to the beach and chill with all the free-spirits.
I find the veggie prices to be on par with organic veggies at the store. Pastured meat is *always* expensive so if you buy that you’ll pay a premium.
Glad I could remind you of OB. It’s a whole different place and definitely a lot of fun to visit.
Nina
It’s encouraging to know that living a healthier lifestyle can start or improve on the road. I am so hoping we can leave behind a lot of our bad habits when we launch!! Great intro 🙂 San Diego really does have it all, and your descriptions of the different neighborhoods really bring it all to life.
Bad habits are always tough to kick, but home-cooking in the RV (which we do most of the time) definitely helps on the nutrition side.
Nina
I saw that you are going to the balloon festival. We went two years ago and as you already know it is fabulous. While we were there we went to the Nexus Brewery and had a great experience, both with the food and the beer. The place was not what we expected, but all four of were very happy. Like you, we are always on the search for new brews. Enjoy and we enjoy your posts. bt
Excellent! We’re always open for tips on a good brew. We will have to check it out when we’re there.
Nina
I’ve sworn many times that when we finally hit the road (2016, crossing fingers), we’ll never buy food at Wal-Mart again. Need to now if we’re going to keep two (well one now) son fed and not go broke. I dream of all the wondrous meals I’ll make in the RV made with fresh, wholesome ingredients that we will be able to actually afford then. Yum!
By the way, Nina, you guys are minutes away from our son. He’s in Boot Camp at the Marine base right there by the airport. He will graduate in May. I wish we were in San Diego 🙁
I think there’s plenty of opportunity to shop healthy on the road, although I can’t deny that sometimes Walmart is the best option around. There’s not many places this is true, but there’s a few spots where I was more than happy to see the big W. Most of the time we do find local markets, farms and produce.
Nina
great post…I love…love farmers markets and like you it is one of the first things I check out when we go to new places…even when we stop at the state visitor center I always ask if they have a list of farmers markets….
Totally with you. I’m a huge fan!
Nina
Great blog Nina–you are most definitely in food heaven!!
Love the So Cal farmers’ markets. I was pleased to see that Temecula also has a wonderful market.
Lovely to hear. I think most of CA has wonderful markets. It’s definitely a produce-rich state.
Nina
Such a fun and colorful post! Haha, we always stock up on pastured eggs, too. No going back once you experience the difference! 🙂 Thanks for all of the great tips on SD farmer’s markets — we just arrived for an extended stay and will try to hit up as many as we can to get our “fix.” Farmer’s markets always figure into our travel plans. It’s great to find them so many places now, but there’s nothing like the markets in California, Oregon, and Washington. Oh, there is that awesome Santa Fe market and the aroma of roasting chiles, too…..
Are you in Mission Bay? We’ve ended up pretty busy here, but could be up for a lunch. Send me a note.
Nina
I’ll be getting my eyes checked on Monday. When I read about “pasturized” eggs, I decided you must be nuts. Fortunately, I went back and read it again. I’m sure you’ll be relieved to learn you’re not nuts.
Interestingly enough you *can* actually buy pasteurized eggs. It’s a very different prospect from pasture-fed eggs, but it does exist. Maybe neither of us are nuts? Or both? LOL
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasteurized_eggs
Nina
Hi! Love your blog and am getting excited for my OTR adventures to begin in September after I get my daughter settled at college. I live in SD and climbed the California Tower this weekend in Balboa Park. Just opened a few months ago go the public. Not exactly a lighthouse but pretty darn cool!! Here’s a link. Happy travels. Susan http://www.museumofman.org/california-tower/
Oh coooooool! I had no idea this had opened. Thanks for bringing it up! We’ve got to go check it out.
Nina
I love all the information you give us! Thank you for sharing so we can be preparing! Rhyming! Lots of exclamations, because I’m very excited to learn from you. We are preparing to take the leap. Selling our dbl wide, which we really only use half of,buying a fifth wheel and hitting the road. I like your decision to go healthy. My hubbie has lots of questions an the RV Blogs I’ve found are great help. Technomadia we found off of your site and your links are great! You motivate an inspire me. One of our goals is to have the freedom to visit family in Oregon an Boise. Great stuff! Keep on rolling! Lora 🙂
Awesome! Sounds like you guys have already got things rolling. We’re huge Oregon fans (go there every summer, practically) and have enjoyed Boise multiple times too. Good luck w/ your plans to get on the road!
Nina