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I've had all kinds of dates. Some a little rougher around the edges than others but, luckily, all sweet on the inside - just as they should be.

Many attribute a date's sweetness to the drying process a grape would undergo to become a raisin. But did you know a date is just a date? And that despite their sometimes tough skin, the ones you can find at a farmers' market are actually considered fresh? It turns out that dehydration is actually a natural part of this fruit's ripening process. While the clusters hang from date palms stretching up to 75 feet high, dates lose up to 80 percent of their moisture before they are harvested in fall time, leaving behind their signature concentrated, jammy goodness. 

Dates also have a history as rich as their gooey, caramel-y centers. With fossil records 'dating' back at least 50 million years, archeologists widely consider it to be the first fruit ever cultivated. Because they are native to the Middle East and Northern Africa, thrive in even the driest of deserts, and are chock full of fiber and antioxidants, they were a critical food source for ancient Mesopotamian and Egyptian civilizations. Dates remain a staple crop in these regions today, as well as a symbol of fertility. 

While dark, hunky Medjools are the most widely available in the U.S., there are thousands of varieties of dates, each with their own unique color, taste, and texture. Barhis, for example, have a golden complexion and are often described as nature's butterscotch. Our date vendor, Flying Disc Ranch, offers these and seven other varieties for you to try at our Tuesday and Saturday markets. 

Easy Eating:
While delicious by themselves, dates can be enjoyed in all sorts of ways. For breakfast or a hearty snack, pick up Obour Foods' Date Tahini at our Saturday market. Simply substitute this unique blend of sesame seeds and Mejdool dates for the regular tahini called for in this Chocolate Hummus recipe and slather it on a thick, toasted slice of whole wheat from Morell's Bread. For a balanced date night meal, try this sweet and savory Chickpea and Date Tagine.Just be sure to leave room for an indulgent Raw Vegan Chocolate Cake as well! This is a dessert certain to satisfy anyone's sweet tooth - regardless of dietary preference.  

Tips For Storage:
To enjoy within the week, store your fresh dates in a glass jar or other airtight container and leave them in a dark, cool place. If you wish to keep them for longer, storage really depends on the date's moisture contents. While semi-dried dates, like Deglet Noors and Zahidis, can be left at room temperature, stickier dates such as Medjools and Barhis should be kept in the refrigerator, where they will last for up to a year. Dates also happen to freeze nicely. Just leave them out of the freezer for about 3 hours and they should taste just as the day you put them in! 
Recipe: Moroccan Citrus-Date Salad

Adapted from Sylvia Fountaine of Mizuna Cuisine

Ingredients
3 citrus fruits of choice (pick up a Flying Disc grapefruit along with your dates!)
1cup pitted dates
1/2 cup coconut flakes
1/2 red onion
greens of choice
fresh goat cheese
 
For the dressing:
4 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp orange juice
1 tbsp lime juice
1 clove garlic
salt and pepper to taste



Directions
Cut rounds of citrus and red onion, and lay over a bed of your chosen greens. Add goat cheese, coconut flakes (toast them if desired), and sliced dates. Combine the dressing ingredients. Drizzle generously and devour!

Our partner Seasonal Bay Area tracks down each vendor every week to get an up-to-date list of what will be for sale at our Tuesday South Berkeley and Saturday Downtown Berkeley 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
Higher Land Coffee
Tony's Kettle Corn + Crepes
Andy's Thai
Tamales La Oaxaqueña
Cafe Zambala
All Things Sharp
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
Golden Rule Organics
E&H Mushroom Farm
Riverdog Farm
Swanton Berry Farm
Frog Hollow Farm
Phoenix Pastificio
Big Little Bowl
Donna's Tamales
All Things Sharp
Morell's Bread
Upland Apiary
Blossom Bluff



Masks are still required at the Berkeley Farmers' Markets

Wearing a face mask and social distancing are required to shop at the Berkeley Farmers' Markets. We are aware of the recent recommendation changes by the CDC, but State Public Health Guidelines have not changed for farmers' markets or other outdoor events. Please help us follow the guidelines by continuing to wear your masks and maintaining social distancing. We also enforce a limit on the maximum amount of customers in market at one time in order to ensure space for social distancing. This means we may have a line to get into our market at the entrances. If you are feeling sick or may have been exposed to COVID-19, please stay home. We are able to stay open as an essential service only by following state health regulations. Thank you for your continued support of local farmers and small businesses!

SEASONAL VENDORS RETURNING!

Swanton Berry Farm is back at The Downtown Berkeley Farmers' Market this Saturday 5/29 on Allston St.
~
Peach Jamboree is back at The South Berkeley Farmers Market this Tuesday on 63rd St. Stay tuned for their return to our Thursday and Saturday Markets.
Looking for a way to give back to your community in this challenging time?
Become a volunteer at the Berkeley Farmers' Markets! As an essential service, the Berkeley Farmers' Markets continue to provide fresh, healthy food for the community and a livelihood for small and mid-scale farmers. We have implemented extensive operational changes to protect customers, farmers, and staff, and to mitigate the spread of disease, and so volunteers are needed more than ever to help support staff in implementing these.
If you are healthy, not in the high risk category, and not living with high risk people, please consider volunteering at our three weekly farmers' markets.

Volunteer tasks include:
  • Supporting the development and execution of a curbside pickup or box-style produce pick-up program (in development)
  • Greeting customers at market entrance and providing them with info on the social distancing requirement
  • If needed, supporting staff in queueing customers at the market entrance, if the number of customers already in the market exceeds our maximum crowd count.
  • Hanging signage in the market
  • Monitoring vendor lines, helping customers know where to wait, and thanking customers for adhering to the social distancing guidelines
A short, virtual volunteer training will be scheduled prior to working at the market. Shifts start 30 minutes prior to market opening time, and length can be flexible depending on availability. Our three markets operate year-round, rain or shine:
  • Downtown Berkeley | Center Street @ M. L. King, Jr. Way, Saturdays 10 am - 3 pm
  • North Berkeley | Shattuck Avenue @ Vine Street, Thursdays 3 pm - 7 pm
  • South Berkeley | Adeline Street and 63rd Street, Tuesdays 2 pm - 6:30 pm
In addition to supporting the community in accessing healthy, farm-fresh food, the benefits of volunteering 5+ hours include an Ecology Center Membership. Contact mariana@ecologycenter.org to sign up!


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, Delice Recipes]