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Happiness is a trip to the farmers' market during stone fruit season! 

With glossy, red cherries and velvety, gold apricots in full swing, mottled-green pluots beginning to emerge, and the sun-kissed faces of market goers as blush and freckled as ripe nectarines, the market is at its most vibrant. 

In addition to displaying an entire rainbow of varieties, market stalls also boast bold flavors. Commercial growers, having to account for longer hauls, harvest their fruit before it has the chance to produce the kind of sweetness that makes it easy to ditch candy this time of year. On the other hand, local farmers pick their stone fruit just days, and even hours, before market. For this reason, you can be sure that the peach you reach for will be sugary-sweet. It'll also likely be juicy, with the nectar dribbling all the way down your chin at first bite. 

Our stone fruit vendors work hard, so show them your a-peach-iation! You'll find at least a few of the following at all three of our markets: Kashiwase Farms, Peach Jamboree, Full Belly Farms, Frog Hollow Farm, Blossom Bluff Orchard, Guru Ram Das Orchards, and our newest addition: Chinchiolo Farm.

Easy Eating: If you can resist devouring them immediately after purchasing, there are endless ways to creatively prepare stone fruit. This refreshing Arugula, Yellow Tomato, and Nectarine Salsa makes for a great snack or appetizer, and goes great on a slice of toasted baguette. For a late lunch, toss together a Sunchoke Farro with Roasted Apricots. This gem can be found in the The Berkeley Bowl Cookbook, available for purchase at the Ecology Center's online store. Squishy, overripe plums? Whip up this Plum Buckle, courtesy of local Berkeley bakery Sweet Adeline. 

Storage Tips: Leave firmer stone fruits on your counter (but out of the sun) until they are ripe. Then feel free to stick them in your fridge, either in a drawer or open paper bag to keep them as dry as possible. 

Zero Waste: Freeze your stone fruit to enjoy summer year round! Simply remove the pits, and, if desired, dip in lemon juice to preserve the color.

Recipe: Apricot Agua Fresca

Courtesy of Mario Hernandez from Frog Hollow Farm

Ingredients

2 cups of apricots, pitted and roughly chopped
Simple syrup to taste (we used ½ cup)
1/2 cup lime juice (we used 1/3)
2 cups filtered water
Ice cubes, to serve
4 sprigs of mint, to garnish
Thinly sliced limes, to garnish

Instructions

Combine apricots, simple syrup, lime juice, and water in a blender. Adjust simple syrup & lime juice to taste. To serve, pour over ice and garnish with a sprig of mint.

Find Frog Hollow Farm produce and pastries at all three of our markets!

  
This Week's Vendors

Saturday Downtown Berkeley
Tuesday South Berkeley
Thursday North Berkeley
Brokaw Ranch
Avalos Farm
Kaki Farm
Good Faith Farm
Guru Ram Das Orchards
Golden Rule Organics
Lifefood Gardens
Flying Disc Ranch
Achadinha Cheese Co.
Hudson Fish
Kashiwase Farm
Stepladder Creamery
Happy Boy Farms
True Grass Farm
Vang Family Farm
Solano Mushroom
Riverdog Farm
Smit Farms
Gattonelli
Frog Hollow Farm
Bariani Olive Oil
Blue Heron
Triple Delight Blueberries
Steadfast Herbs
Pomo Tierra Orchard
Swanton Berry Farm
Higher Land Coffee
Tony's Kettle Corn + Crepes
Andy's Thai
Tamales La Oaxaqueña
Cafe Zambala
Picnic
Beber Almond Milk
Big Little Bowl
Your Granola Garden 
Laguna Garden Bakery
Cultured Pickle Shop
Morell's Bread
Obour Hummus
Phoenix Pastificio
Bolani
Coracao
Primavera Tamales
Bun Bao
Kaki Farms
Massa Organics
Oya Organics
Brokaw Ranch
Lou Vue
Avalos Farm
Full Belly Farm
Flying Disc Ranch
Good Faith Farm
Blue Heron
Blossom Bluff Orchards
Solano Mushroom
Dirty Girl Produce
Lucero Organic Farms
Kashiwase Farm
Stepladder Creamery
Riverdog Farm
Blossom Bluff
Smit Farms
Frog Hollow Farm
Little Fish Co.
Queen of Sheeba Honey
Phoenix Pastificio
Three Stone Hearth
Base Camp Bakery
Bolani
Fruit Tree Smoothies
Tamales La Oaxaquena
Andy's Thai
Donna's Tamales



Hudson Fish
Happy Boy Farms
Green Thumb Organics
Massa Organics
Triple Delight Blueberries
Chinchiolo Farm
Golden Rule Organics
E&H Mushroom Farm
Riverdog Farm
Frog Hollow Farm
Phoenix Pastificio
Big Little Bowl
Donna's Tamales
All Things Sharp
Morell's Bread
Upland Apiary
Blossom Bluff




July is just around the corner, which means Plastic Free July is almost here!

Each year the Ecology Center participates in Plastic Free July--but exactly what is it?

Learn more about the global movement here and check out our Plastic Free July webpage to see what the Ecology Center is doing to raise awareness of plastic pollution and the dangers of single-use plastics!
Shop with us and live a plastic-free lifestyle all year long!

Happy Plastic-Free July! We are back to our regular hours, which means that you can live a plastic-free lifestyle all year long! Whether you are looking for reusable food containers or bar shampoo, we can support your plastic-free goals, whatever they may be.

From July 1st through June 31st shop in-store and online with code PlasticFreeJuly for 15% off your purchase of regularly priced items. We are open for in-store shopping Tuesday through Sunday, 11 am to 6 pm. 
We've got everything you need for a DIY, Garden to Table Kimchi!

김치. Kimchi: a Korean fermented, seasoned, and salted cabbage dish, traditionally a side, to other scrumptious and nutrient rich dishes.

Join local Chef Alison on Saturday, June 26th from 11am - 12:30pm to learn about the art of fermentation and the fundamentals of curating your favorite pickled dishes at our upcoming, kimchi-focused Fantastic Fermentation class. Click here to learn more and register!

We are also excited to share that the Ecology Center is a host for the Kala Art Institute San Pablo Seed Project, which houses free Chinese Cabbage (beka santoh) seed packets! Drop by the Ecology Center Store to grab your seeds and fermentation supplies today. 
Volunteers play a huge role in making our markets both smooth and successful. It's a great way to support your community in accessing healthy, farm-fresh food. You'll get to enjoy the sunshine this summer, too!

As a volunteer, you'll help us:
  • Set up and take down the market
  • Greet, welcome, and thank market visitors
  • Feature vendors on our social media
  • Give vendors much-deserved breaks
  • And much, much more!

Click here to access the volunteer application!

New Update on Masks at Market

The Berkeley Farmers' Markets will continue to adhere to the City of Berkeley Public Health, CDPH, and the CDC's recommendations, for our mask requirements and policies. Given the current recommendations, as of June 15th 2021, masks are not required for attendees to enter the Berkeley farmers' market.

While it is not required, we respectfully ask that those who are unvaccinated, or partially vaccinated, continue to wear a mask for the ongoing safety of our community. And we also support and encourage all community members in taking the precautions they need for the best interest of their individual health needs. 

Ecology Center Berkeley Farmers' Market employees will continue to be required to wear masks while at work, regardless of vaccination status.

We deeply appreciate your support and community spirit during this exciting and tentative transitional time.
Farmers' Market Hours & Locations
EBT and WIC Fruit & Vegetable checks gladly accepted and Market Match incentives distributed at all markets.
South Berkeley
Tuesdays, 2 - 6:30 pm
Adeline St. at 63rd St., 
Berkeley
North Berkeley
Thursdays, 3 - 7 pm 
Shattuck Ave. at Rose St., Berkeley
Downtown Berkeley
Saturdays, 10 am - 3 pm
Center St. at MLK Jr. Way, Berkeley
[Photo credit: Berkeley Farmers' Market Staff]