Best farmers market near Brea?

[js76wisco]

I'm moving to Brea in a couple of weeks and very sad that I'll be far from SM, Brentwood and Beverly Hills farmers market which we frequent on Wednesday and during the weekend. I've heard that the Irvine farmers market on campus at UCI is very good but that is still 25 miles from Brea.

Anybody know of any closer farmers market where there is a decent variety and selection of vendors?

[js76wisco]

The Irvine market on Saturday at Bridge and Campus is a fantastic farmers market. Although not quite the same size very similar to Brentwood Sunday market on Gretna Green. In addition to the wide variety and large number of stalls with produce there is a good number of stalls with baked items and prepared foods. There is also a fair number of other merchants selling clothes, candles, etc...

I was pleasantly surprised and will be making the 30 minute drive frequently. Parking is plentiful and certainly not as crowded as many of the markets in LA county.

[degustateur]

The Jack Newes Walnut Farmers Market, formerly in Diamond Bar/Rowland Heights, is now located at Mt. SAC College every Saturday from 8am to 2pm.

http://www.localharvest.org/jack-newes-farmers-market-M7854

The following link will help you locate farmers markets nationwide:

http://www.localharvest.org/farmers-m...

In addition, David Schaner, brother of Peter Schaner (Santa Monica FM), has a working organic farm in nearby Placentia:

Schaner Farm
1128 North Kraemer Blvd.
Placentia, CA
[phone]
Monday thru Friday 11am-6pm
Weekends 11am-4pm

David was raised on the farm and has operated it exclusively for over ten years. It is relatively small, about 10 acres, but yields excellent produce, eggs, honey and other goodies. He is a truly great guy and provides warm, welcoming service anytime. Stop by and pay him a visit. He will even let you walk out into the field and pick your own produce right out of the ground if you wish. It doesn’t get any better than that (^_^)!

[stuffed]

I second the recommendation for Schaner Farm! In addition to the fresh 'duce, he usually has firewood.

[js76wisco]

I like the Schaner Farms idea, will definitely drop by when we move out to Brea.

It sounds like the closest I'll get to the Brentwood or SM farmers market is in Irvine on Saturday morning.

[sfjk]

Schaner Farm is closed???? Was absolutely devastated today when I went there to buy eggs. Large sign property for sale and his stand was cleaned out. Anyone know what happened? If I had the money, I would buy it and keep on farming. We need him.

[stuffed]

What a shame...

[stuffed]

There is nothing close that will be anything like the ones you mention. Fullerton has a Thursday night street fair that's a real fun time--see reference to beer garden above--but is not a huge selection of farmers' goods. However there are a couple of excellent vendors there. Brea Tuesday night market is even smaller.

There is a Wednesday morning certified farmers' market at Independence Park (shared space with the Janet Evans Swim Complex) in Fullerton. Sometimes this market can be good. I also like the Wednesday morning market in Old Town Tustin. There are some good vendors there and also it's just down the street from Cream Pan. Also, the Jack Newe's Farmers' Market at Mt. SAC college in Walnut is good. Otherwise the Irvine Saturday morning market isn't all that far (57 to the 5 to the 55 to the 73).

On a somewhat alternative note, South Coast Farms CSA drops off at the Fullerton Arboretum every other Wednesday afternoon. http://www.southcoastfarms.com/csa.htm

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Cream Pan
602 El Camino Real, Tustin, CA 92780

[Mattapoisett in LA]

Not a farmers market but the Farm Store at Cal Poly Pomona is Great. Student raised crops and meat can be bought there along with other things like Dr Bob's Ice Cream. They have events through out the year like Strawberry picking and a Squash festival in the Fall. We go every time we make the trip to my In-laws in Diamond Bar.

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Farm Store At Kellogg Ranch
4102 S University Drive, Pomona, CA 91768

[Servorg]

And here's the link to the OC Farmers Markets: http://www.orangecounty.net/html/shop... which actually includes a listing for a Brea Farmers Market.

[Das Ubergeek]

The Brea market is small and dinky. Orange would be a better choice, but frankly none of the north-county ones are very large. You would do better to look at Chino Hills or Diamond Bar/Rowland.

[js76wisco]

Thanks I'll check out these markets. I wonder if Claremont has a good farmers market since its a younger more progressive college town in the IE?

[Das Ubergeek]

I'm not sure, but Claremont isn't very much closer than Irvine.

[Servorg]

What about the Fullerton Farmers Market http://www.ci.fullerton.ca.us/residen... ?

[Servorg]

I won't say that these Yelp reviews prove anything one way or another (although to find only one negative review of anything on Yelp borders on finding a living "Unicorn" in terms of rareness) but there are a lot of favorable mentions http://www.yelp.com/biz/fullerton-mar... of the beer garden. Now that alone would be enough to get me to check it out if I lived close.

[js76wisco]

I guess there is really only one way to find out. We'll have to go to each during alternating weekend and see which one really is the best. I can see myself making the drive back down to the 310 for some Harry's Berries and other goodies.

Thanks for the feedback everybody.

[peppermonkey]

fullerton one is very small...not much there

[Funwithfood]

The Fullerton FM used to be good, but since it relocated, it is worthless. Sad.

[OCAnn]

Note that Fullerton has two markets; one early Wednesdays and another Thursday evenings (non certified). The latter has a fun atmosphere; there's a beer garden, live music, hot food vendors, folks walking their dogs and ponies for kids to ride. Check them both out and see which appeals to you more.

[Funwithfood]

Yes, the latter is more fun by a long shot!

[Servorg]

Have you scanned through the LA County CFM website? http://www.farmernet.com/events/cfms