308142 Mon Jul 10 15:25:42 -0700 2006 12 12 Boston Area 0 1735735 I live in the metrowest area and am thinking about driving into Boston to go to a farmers market on the weekend, but I don't want to make the trek and only find a few vendors there. Any advice on which ones are good and which ones are maybe not worth the trip would be greatly appreciated! I am planning to go to the South End open market but I'm not sure how much food is actually at that one... Thanks for your help!! Mon Jul 10 15:25:42 -0700 2006 17796 alipper 1 1735846 Here's a listing of farmer's markets in MA. http://www.massfarmersmarkets.org/markets/allmarkets/allmarkets.htm Some have active links with vendor listings. Mon Jul 10 16:20:14 -0700 2006 1735735 15217 gini 1 1735854 I haven't been yet this year, but the Waltham market on saturdays was pretty good last year -- not a huge number of vendors (maybe 6-7?), but good selection and high quality. Hours are pretty limited, I think 10-2. Added benefit is that you can combine with a trip to Gordon's wine store on Main St. and either a sandwich from Domenic's Paninoteca or some mexican food from Waltham's ever-expanding roster of taquerias. (Taqueria Mexico is a block away from the market; my favorite Taqueria El Amigo is a 5 minute drive, and Hungry Coyote is a 10 minute walk up Moody st.) Sorry, getting off topic for your question but it's lunchtime! Harvard Square market on sundays (10-3) in front of Charles Hotel is good, but a bit small (5-6 vendors?), and the only vendor there with a wide selection of both fruits and veg. is Kimball Farm, who are friendly but whose produce is not quite as good as others (imho). Still a good market, but probably won't knock your socks off. Also, parking can be a hassle. There's also a market in Union Square, Somerville on saturdays, but I've never been, so others will have to comment. Also a saturday market in Cambridgeport but I haven't been for a few years. Mon Jul 10 16:24:21 -0700 2006 1735735 10901 MichaelB 2 1735860 The Union Square market is good, although still not huge. Maybe 10 total vendors? One of the bakeries, Berkshire Mountain, is incredible. Get their potato-onion bread. Mon Jul 10 16:25:47 -0700 2006 1735854 13596 DoubleMan 3 1746552 tho small and not worth a huge road trip, the union sq market is great for locals. you're right, maybe 10 vendors including the ubiquitous kimball (who are best in the fall for their apple selection). i especially like the drumlin farm stand (always with amazing beets of late) and yang family farm often has an interesting asian item or two...today they had amaranth and some great chinese spinach, and they always have pea tendrils... Sat Jul 15 16:37:58 -0700 2006 1735860 15912 passing thru 2 1735881 Yes, the Waltham Saturday market is pretty decent...but don't plan on the Domenic's lunch. They are only open weekdays :( Mon Jul 10 16:34:30 -0700 2006 1735854 11301 Science Chick 3 1735933 Last time I looked, Domenic's had added Saturday hours. Mon Jul 10 16:56:21 -0700 2006 1735881 12116 Ali G 1 1735941 Hey, that's terrific....can't wait to get a Saturday fix...thanks! Mon Jul 10 16:59:37 -0700 2006 1735735 11301 Science Chick 1 1735978 Here is a link to the page on the South End open market site that list the vendors. http://www.southendopenmarket.com/participatingvend.htm The food vendors are: Herb Lyceum @ Gilson's Farm Oakdale Farms Oleg Flowers Silverbrook Organic Farm Snipped Fresh Produce Clear Flour Bread Dairy Fresh Candies Goddess Granola Nana's Candy Nature Isle Tropical Gourmet New Day Organics OLIO di MELLI R.J, Robertson - Chocolatier Shootflying Hill Sauce Co. Tastefully Simple The Globetrotting Gourmet Well, Well, Well Zia's Cookies Mon Jul 10 17:10:15 -0700 2006 1735735 15576 PennyC 2 1736167 I was there yesterday and the only food vendors were Gilson (selling Clear Flour Bread) and Silverbrook Organic.........both had beautiful offerings but I was expecting to find more variety Mon Jul 10 18:07:04 -0700 2006 1735978 15183 pasta 1 1749601 Went to South End at the Open Market yesterday and Gilson and Silverbrook were still the only food vendors there. Got decent blueberries; italian, french and wax beans; and lettuce from Silverbrook and a fantastic rosmary foccia from Clearflour sold by Herb Lyceum @ Gilson. Bikes, photographs, painting and vintage lunch boxes were in abundance though. Mon Jul 17 19:40:36 -0700 2006 1735735 15217 gini 1 1749669 I love the Berkshire bakery (they have this amazing chocolate chip bread), but when I went to the Union Square farmers' market 2 weeks ago, they weren't there. Toscanini's was there selling bread though. Mon Jul 17 19:59:04 -0700 2006 1735735 15327 bookdwarf 1 1761755 Yesterday in Union Square it was green beans as far as the eye could see. I bought a couple of pounds plus some wax beans for a garlicky green bean salad. Also scooped up some tiny red new potatoes which I steamed and dressed with butter and mint. These were marble sized little gold-fleshed spuds. Absolutely delicious. Lettuce from the Yangs (wish their stuff wasn't so expensive. It's gorgeous, but $2 for a bunch of chinese spinach seems high) and green onions from the vendor in the middle, I forget his name. I was surprised to see so many crafty vendors. They all seemed really slow, business wise. I didn't stop to check things out, so maybe that's their problem. Flowers on sale, and a sign saying knife sharpening next weekend -- wonder if Siracco is bringing the mobile van? That would be cool. I love that little market -- such a nice mix of Somervillians stopping in. One woman was making her self understood in very halting English, but *man* did she want the best price on the basil. Don't blame her, I do too. What did you guys find in your markets this week/end? Sun Jul 23 15:35:15 -0700 2006 1735735 10232 yumyum