Ridgecrest Farmers Market

The Farmers market is getting larger every weekend.. currently around 35 vendors. The market is now on Saturdays from 8-noon in the Tractor Supply Co. parking lot so there is plenty of free parking. The Ridgecrest Farmers market is now starting to feel like the Farmers markets that I've been to in larger towns. The vendors are selling everything from homemade furniture to fresh and locally farmed produce. There are several food booths selling breakfast and baked goods like cookies, pies, and bread if you're looking for something to munch on while you shop.Get out of the house and check it out. Information about this week's market can be found on their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/RidgecrestFM/

Open 8-11am Fridays. The website says June to October, but I just went there today, and it's January. I believe it's open year round.There were about 3 vendors, two were produce, the last was pastries and jars of what appeared to be jams/jellies.My impression was that this is not a true farmer's market, because most of the produce seemed to be collected, and many had stickers with barcodes on them, ready to be scanned in a supermarket. Prices were almost exactly what you'd pay in a supermarket. One lady asked if the produce was organic from the larger vendor, and he replied that it was not, but it was pesticide free. He told her that even with "organic" food, it's hard to determine exactly how organic it is, and that oftentimes it's not. She gave him a snooty "I only eat organic" and went to the other vendor, which made me laugh. People like that just crack me up. I'd like to sprinkle some Monstanto RoundUp on her wheatgrass and run it over with a Prius, just for good measure.I left there with a bunch of kale, a few apples, and some avocados. I didn't even really want an avocado, but my family owns an avocado farm, so I figure I'd throw the industry a bone. The kale and the apples were great (juiced as soon as I got home), the avocado was crap. Just my luck.Bring your eco bag, your hungry eyes, fire up the hybrid or Subaru AWD, and enjoy shopping in a fun setting (a movie theater parking lot).