Farmers Market

Ah, the bounties of nature to be found at the local farmers market: decorative items made of handblown glass, pony rides and, of course, an espresso bar (I mean, this is L.A. after all). At the Northridge Fashion Center's Farmers' Market & Family Festival, the newest addition to a centuries-old tradition of outdoor produce markets, the offerings go beyond berries and bok choy.

Travelers may think of Hawaii as the land of surfboards, sunsets and mai tais, but there's a lava flow of reasons to go beyond the beaches and discover why residents say they are lucky to live in Hawaii. And, yes, some of the state's best beaches are found on the Big Island. But don't get stuck there. Do what the locals do: Swim with the honu. There are five snorkeling areas along the Big Island's Kohala Coast: Puako Bay, Waialea Beach (Beach 69), Hapuna Beach, Mauna Kea and Mauume.

In its first year, the Encino Farmers' Market has brought more than fresh fruits and vegetables to Victory Boulevard in Van Nuys. It also has brought a new awareness of a group that helps the elderly to the thousand or more people who visit the area on a typical Sunday. "We see it as a success in terms that it has brought more attention to O.N.E.," said Susan Beckman, manager of the farmers market. O.N.E.

HANALEI, Hawaii - It's a warm Tuesday afternoon on Kauai and tourists are lining up - just a few at first, then a dozen or so. Finally more than 100 have gathered, waiting patiently. They're not here to swim with dolphins, snorkel in turquoise waters or even learn to hula at a luau. They're here for a farmers market. Manager Kalen Kelekoma climbs atop a wooden crate and welcomes the throng with a warm "aloha" and an explanation of the market rules. Then the horn sounds, and they rush the stalls.

The country-Western band scheduled to perform at the grand opening of the downtown Bellflower Certified Farmers Market was canceled because of Monday's heavy rains. But the constant downpour did not dampen the enthusiasm of 16 farmers and an estimated 400 customers. "This is fine weather for ducks," said Pat McFarland, 72, who brought apples and cider to sell from his Oak Glen apple ranch in San Bernardino County.

The Market Lady knows exactly where she will be from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. today--chowing down at the certified farmers' market in Oxnard's Channel Islands Harbor. Not only will she be able to pick fresh Ventura County crops for her own and her loved ones' dining pleasure, she will also attend the gustatory event of the weekend, for free. We're talking about the Celebration of the Whales Chowder Cook-Off, with male and female contestants starting their Coleman stoves at 10 a.m.

An X-ray and a bag of oranges, anyone? It makes perfect sense to Dr. Preston Maring. In the lobby of Kaiser Permanente's Oakland Medical Center, Maring says, he'd regularly pass vendors selling crafts. One day, he had an aha moment: "This has nothing to do with our mission as a healthcare facility," he says. And today, six years later, Kaiser Permanente has 30 farmers markets at medical facilities in four states where patients, staff and community members shop.

AT almost any farmers market, I can find something to make me hungry. Maybe it's the musky perfume of guavas from a backyard grower. Or the sharp scent of citrus as someone peels a tangerine. It could be a farmer who still plants one plot of winey Chandler strawberries just for the market crowd. Or maybe it's nothing more than the irresistible way the morning sun gleams off a mound of moist spring onions.

For certain people, finding and triumphing over the world's hottest chile is one of those captivating, extreme pursuits like climbing Mt. Everest or running an ultramarathon in Death Valley in July. Even for nonparticipants, the spectacle of the quest is amusing. Until recently, the hottest chile available at local farmers markets had been the relatively common habanero, so it was a bit surprising to see the fabled Bhut Jolokia, a heat championship contender, displayed quite casually at the Santa Monica farmers market the last two few weeks.

HANALEI, Hawaii - It's a warm Tuesday afternoon on Kauai and tourists are lining up - just a few at first, then a dozen or so. Finally more than 100 have gathered, waiting patiently. They're not here to swim with dolphins, snorkel in turquoise waters or even learn to hula at a luau. They're here for a farmers market. Manager Kalen Kelekoma climbs atop a wooden crate and welcomes the throng with a warm "aloha" and an explanation of the market rules. Then the horn sounds, and they rush the stalls.

Of the many Southern Californians starting urban farms these days, few have stories more colorful than Brett and Tanya Wyatt of B&T Farm . Brett, 53, was an observant Jew studying geography at UC Davis, then a Buddhist monk in Myanmar, where he managed to flee just before the regime raided his monastery. He then earned a doctorate analyzing organic farming concepts in Chiang Mai, Thailand, where he met Tanya, 44, who supervised a farm group and grew mushrooms. A year ago he returned to California to teach computer skills at a public high school in Watts, and they promptly decided to establish an urban farm.

After Pompea Smith, who has led the Hollywood farmers market since she founded it 21 years ago, was fired Tuesday night, many questions remained as to just what had happened, and why. Official details were scant, but it is clear that the story involved financial issues, office politics and conflicting visions for the organization. The board of Sustainable Economic Enterprises of Los Angeles the nonprofit organization that runs the market, issued a statement saying that it was "time for a change of leadership," and that it was "deeply grateful to Pompea Smith for her ... inspired leadership of this organization.

Cooks County Daniel Mattern and Roxana Jullapat: This week's farmers market, on a plate; pan-Mediterranean cooking sunny as an L.A. afternoon. Location: 8009 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, (323) 653-8009, cookscountyrestaurant.com Prices: Dinner appetizers, $8-$13; main courses, $16-26; desserts, $9-$10. Details: Open 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Mondays to Fridays, 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. Mondays to Thursdays, 6 p.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays for brunch, and 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sundays.

Combat veteran, burglar buster, certified grower and farmers market manager - not many people can claim such a résumé. But 35-year-old Brian Weiss, who runs the Palos Verdes farmers market, juggles all these identities and more as the scion of the South Bay's first family of farmers markets. Only a fierce sense of duty ties together the diverse strands of his career. Farmers markets are in his blood. His mother, Mary Lou Weiss, is the longtime manager of the large and successful Torrance farmers markets and founded, ran or consulted for a dozen venues over the last two decades, including Hermosa Beach, El Segundo, Carson, Manhattan Beach, Lawndale and Palos Verdes.

The Dekopon, a Japanese hybrid of mandarin and orange reputed to be the most delicious citrus in the world, created a sensation last year when California-grown fruit showed up at local groceries under the marketing name Sumo, after a dozen years of secrecy and intrigue. The new crop has started arriving at stores and will be available at the Santa Monica farmers market starting next Wednesday from the Dekopon kingpin himself, Mike George of Lindsay, who grows 16 acres of the variety and organized the group that secured the rights to it. Large, very easy to peel and seedless, with a distinctive bump at the top, the Dekopon has gossamer-thin membranes enclosing its segments and flesh that feels firm at first bite but then melts in the mouth.

The sign is easily visible as you drive north on Fairfax toward 3rd Street and the original Farmers Market, the name Short Order spelled out in cheerful green neon. Great name, great concept: a burger joint with frills, including a full bar, fresh-baked cookies, a retro soundtrack and, upstairs, a sweet little outdoor terrace. Short Order has been a long time coming. Billed as a celebration of Amy Pressman and Nancy Silverton's 30-year friendship (and mutual love of burgers), after months of hurdles, the restaurant opened in November on a sad note: Pressman had died of cancer two weeks before.

Small and unprepossessing they may be, but Pixie mandarins are a farmers market favorite for their seedlessness, rich flavor — combining the best of mandarin and orange — and late season. In the last decade, Pixies grown in this picturesque valley in northwestern Ventura County have achieved cult status in Southern California because they're local, distinctive and delicious. Still, much about this charismatic mandarin remains little known, particularly its serendipitous path to renown.

The Dekopon, a Japanese hybrid of mandarin and orange reputed to be the most delicious citrus in the world, created a sensation last year when California-grown fruit showed up at local groceries under the marketing name Sumo, after a dozen years of secrecy and intrigue. The new crop has started arriving at stores and will be available at the Santa Monica farmers market starting next Wednesday from the Dekopon kingpin himself, Mike George of Lindsay, who grows 16 acres of the variety and organized the group that secured the rights to it. Large, very easy to peel and seedless, with a distinctive bump at the top, the Dekopon has gossamer-thin membranes enclosing its segments and flesh that feels firm at first bite but then melts in the mouth.

In honor of this year's "eat healthier" resolution, my teenage son and I drove over to a local bakery in the first week of January. On the shop's window, someone had painted the words "Whole-grain bread. " So far, so good. The next line read "No preservatives. " And the third — I did a double take — "Chemical-free. " My son, slouching next to me, heard me inhale and hastily looked for the cause. "Mom," he said urgently. "Mom! Let's just leave quietly. " Of course, he was remembering — and who could really forget?

It's ironic, in a rosemary-infused sort of way, that in today's farm-to-table restaurant era few chef-and-farmer relationships have evolved into the true collaborations those farm-specific menus often suggest. Their lives tend to exist in parallel worlds, firmly rooted together but never quite merging. Like many farmers, Bill and Barbara Spencer of Windrose Farm have long focused their energy on the growing needs of their produce, such as Ashmead's Kernel and Hudson Golden Gem apples, on their 70-acre farm just outside Paso Robles.