Fresh Finds and Water Saving Tips from the Farmer’s Market

Have you visited the Farmer’s Market lately? As we transition from spring to summer, a whole new selection of seasonal fruit and vegetables pepper the tables. We spoke to the Farmer’s Markets to find out what’s new.

First of all, stone fruits like apricots are starting to make an appearance.

“They’re fabulous right now,” says Pasadena Farmer’s Market’s Gretchen Sterling. “Because of the weather and water situation, apricots are fabulous right now. They’re all coming from Bakersfield to Fresno.”

Another must-buy is the fresh corn from Coachella Valley. Adds Sterling, “An interesting story about my white corn [producer]: he grows within sight of the Salton Sea.”

While fruits and vegetables and other delightful crops are still a-plenty in the Farmer’s Market, Sterling can’t deny that the water crisis is affecting their very own farmers and producers. “It takes a lot of water to produce the fruits and vegetables that we eat,” states Sterling.

Some trees are being stripped; some farmers have given up growing their plants and even moved to other places far from the drought situation.

Sterling is reminding everyone to do their part in water conservation to help the farmers and our state. “California does feed the world. And if we don’t take care of the water situation for the [farmers], they’re not going to be able to grow their crops,” says Sterling.

“We have to be careful how much water we use and do it very carefully,” advises Sterling.

Sterling has been religiously following this water-conserving tip that you can do at home as well. “Personally I have a bucket that I got from Pasadena Water and Power. It’s a collapsible bucket. It’s more than a gallon, maybe two. And I use that to collect all the cold water until my shower heats up,” she says.

“It’s critical. If they want their fruits and vegetables to eat, they have to conserve water because the farmers are going out of business, because there’s no water stored for them. That’s my message,” says Sterling.

Pasadena Farmers’ Market Villa Parke Center is located at 363 East Villa St., Pasadena.

Pasadena Farmers’ Market Victory Park is located at 2900 block of North Sierra Madre Blvd., Pasadena. For more information, call (626) 449­0179 or visit http://www.pasadenafarmersmarket.org