After trying several CSAs and not getting any love from the waiting list for other CSAs with drop…read morepoints in my neighborhood - I nearly gave up til I discovered Mariquita. Andy & Julia offer a traditional CSA process of drop offs and have established bi-weekly "Mystery Box" nights at different meeting points around the city of San Francisco. For the Mystery Box - you never know what you'll get - but you'll definitely get far above your $25 worth! You can also sign up for updates from the "Ladybug Buying Club" - notices about veggies and fruit that are available in bulk for pickup at Mystery Box locations. Recently, I have brought home a giant Musquee de Provence pumpkin for $6, a flat of organic fall strawberries for $24, 25# of Braeburn apples for $26 and over the summer - basil for $1 for a generous bunch (I got 12!). Mariquita also hosts "U-Pick" events for tomatoes in the fall - and at fifty cents a pound, you'll find it hard to resist going home with less than 50# of tomatoes... I personally brought home 150# of tomatoes and now have tomato sauce for the rest of the year. Mariquita always has the best produce - unlike other CSAs, it doesn't just go bad in the fridge from being picked too ripe and hanging out in a hot warehouse or truck for too many days. What are you waiting for? Sign up for the Ladybug Buying Club newsletter now!

I've been getting produce from Mariquita Farms for at least the last four years. The mystery boxes…read moreare a blast, with tons of unusual produce that test my creativity and a great value at just $25 each (going up to $30 next month--still a great value). It may be a little pricey compared to your local Asian market, but for the quality and the focus on sustainability rather than the bottom line, it's worth it to me. The farm also sends out a newsletter alerting you to what's predicted to be in the box, recipe ideas, and happenings on the farm, which is great for planning what to do with the haul (because it is a haul!) and learning about where our food is coming from.

OMGoodness Monterey bay farms organic strawberries are the best no joke !!! Driscoll strawberries…read moredon't have the flavor these do . I feel like I'm eating food from my childhood. Keep up the great work growers . Thank you

Excellent berries and ver friendly people there. Can't wait to taste this year's crops.read more

Nice place for blueberry u-pick. Bring tick repellent and wear proper clothes. Website doesn't…read moremention it, only an email we didn't read until on the way to site did, so I didn't have right clothes or repellent. Ended up with three ticks and one tick bite. Site doesn't offer any bug spray, but maybe should? As far as Covid safety, only thing is a reservation system which limits attendees. About 8-9 rows so plenty of space to spread out, but it's self regulated. Some parents corral their Children and others don't so you're at mercy of others, or have to speak up. We also got chased down rows by an oblivious sneezing and coughing man who prob had allergies and wore a mask... No one from farm is monitoring people once in. No questions or temp checks for admittance, though email prob asks that you mind it. Also: expensive! Expect to pay about $20-25/gallon baggie, which holds about 3-4 pounds. Blueberries are delish. Ticks are not so be prepared.

I can't tell you how delicious High Ground's produce is. I labor under the happy delusion that I am…read morea good cook because my vegetables are always so tasty. When Two Small Farms reorganized, I stuck with my usual pickup spot, which went to High Ground Organics. I was a little nervous. I'd been getting Mariquita Mystery Boxes all winter, so I knew that I liked what Mariquita alone produces. But what about High Ground? My worries were for nothing. The produce is as high quality and varied as I could have hoped.

Amazing fruit. Kind staff. $3/lb org sic strawberries while others are charging $8/lb. Go here…read more You won't regret it.

Came down to spend the day in Capitola and started with some fruit picking we got a bunch of…read moredelicious tomatoes and strawberries along with some items from their farm stand including potatoes and beets. Can't wait to have them. They look delicious. Their pricing is very reasonable and it's very easy to navigate through their fields. I had sandals on and my arm in a brace and I was still able to do it.

We saw signs and had to make a pit stop for local fresh strawberries! They also have a selection of…read morefresh produce as well!

Peter Piper picked a peck of purple peppers…read more Wait? What did Peter Piper pick? Purple peppers? I kid you not! Okay, maybe it wasn't Peter Piper who picked them, but he could have had he visited the Nunez Farm. It's a fact that purple bell peppers have been around since the mid-80's, but this was the first time I've ever walked upon rows upon rows of them in a field. The purple bell peppers are just one of the crops being harvested at Guillebaldo Nunez' vegetable farm in Watsonville. Artichokes Basil Bell Peppers (Green) Broccoli Butter Lettuce Cabbage (Green) Carrots Celery Collard Greens Fennel Heirloom Tomatoes Kale (Green) Leeks Pink Swiss Chard Potatoes Purple Kale Puple Thai Basil Rainbow Swiss Chard Red Beets Red Cabbage Red Lettuce Swiss Chard White Corn Yellow Swiss Chard Zucchini That's just a fraction of the crops being grown on the Nunez Farm, and it's all organic! That's right! Pesticide and chemical free! When our bus driver missed his turn Guillebaldo jumped into his truck and drove out to the main road to escort our bus into his farm. We were there for the last stop on on our education-filled farm tour. The Nunez Farm is incredible in size, and all of the crops are sold in farmers markets throughout Northern California and at Whole Foods stores under the brand "ALBA Organics". Guillebaldo walked us out to his fields to show us the rainbow of Swiss chards that he has planted. Green, orange, yellow, red, pink - just a variety of colors. I had never seen the yellow ones before and I was fascinated by them. On the same field were green and purple kale. I'd never had kale before and sampled some right there as a leaf was pulled off a plant and passed around to sample. We learned about the nutritious aspect of the kale as well as planting techniques and even ways to cook them. On the opposite side of the field were rows upon row of gigantic heirloom tomatoes hanging on thin sturdy vines. We were told that the fruits had just been picked that morning, but Guillebaldo told us that if we found any other ripe ones in there we were welcomed to pick it. Some of our group got really lucky when Guillebaldo found a whole plant unpicked. I missed out as I had stopped to take photos of big green tomatoes. To the opposite side of the tomato crops was a huge eye opener as we saw a gigantic color-filled farm that seemed to stretch forever. Guillebaldo gave us a quick rundown of all of his crops back there and offered to pick whatever our group requested. His generous offer turned up big red beets, ripe artichoke and handfuls upon handfuls of traditional green and Thai purple basil. The hit of the farm was the beautiful purple bell peppers. Guillebaldo said these were a first-time crop for him and he welcomed us onto the field to pick our own. He cracked one open, broke it into several pieces and passed it around for us to sample. The meat is slightly thinner than that of a green bell pepper, but these were so much sweeter. I might have missed out on the tomatoes but no way did I miss out on these. Time wasn't on our side; otherwise, we might have walked off with a lot more fresh produce than we did. A big thanks goes to Guillebaldo Nunez for opening up his farm to us. I'll be looking for that ALBA brand next time I'm shopping for organics. Where are the photos? Right here... http://www.flickr.com/photos/26-2milesandmore/sets/72157621625559039/

OMG! I just bought their strawberries down at a grocery in Long Beach. THE BEST STRAWBERRIES IVE…read moreHAD IN A LOOOONG TIME! They are sweet juicy deep red and so lovely to eat. I will buy you whenever I see them available!

Hands down the busiest merchant today at the Clement Street Farmers Market in San Francisco…read more Such a bounty from Watsonville, Fennel, Celery, Carrots, Squash, and tons of Greens!

These are the best strawberries. Full stop…read more We always get some from the Heart of the City Farmers Market in SF and every time the strawberries are on point. There really is no point to get them elsewhere.

For years I've been buying strawberries, blackberries and blueberries from Elizabeth who runs the…read moreberry stand every Wednesday at the farmers market outside the VA medical center on 42nd Ave & Clement Street. It's amazing how lucious her strawberries are and how long they last - and even longer when I wrap them in a paper towel and keep them in the refrigerator. Rebecca also taught me to freeze them by placing them on a baking pan near each other but not touching. A few hours later after they're frozen I just put them in a plastic bag and keep them in the freezer.  My wife and I have made strawberry jam, preserves, smoothies, and strawberry sauce for pancakes and waffles, and a neighbor I shared somer with made a cake - see below. Only thing that exceeds the quality of Madina Farms berries is how kind and sweet Rebecca herself is! I don't think she even owns the berry farm but is probably an employee. Yet she treats the produce and her customers as if she has no greater pleasure in life but to watch us enjoy and dine on her precious and delicious produce. If you work at the VA or if you're privileged to get your medical care there like me, a Vietnam Vet, or are just in the neighborhood, stop by on any Wednesday before she packs up her van at 1 PM and treat yourself!

I love supporting local shops and buying from farmers' markets, but this Barn Fresh Produce is more…read moreof a roadside "catfish" with its giant colorful wooden signs and enticing promotional promises. I've stopped by before to buy fruit, which was okay (ie, small), but this time, I walked inside the building. Holy toledo, Batman, the products were coated under thick layers of dust and had mouse traps tucked in-between and underneath! There were boxes and cleaning supplies strewn about, and animals lying around the food. I was afraid I'd spot a tail hanging out of a hole or see something run by my feet based on how many traps were in the store. There may not be any sure proof way to keep pests out of indoor-outdoor markets, but they can at least keep the place cleaner and more organized, like not leave cleaning supplies right next to the food. I was also surprised that the prices were steep for what looked like products that haven't been moved in a long time. Barn Fresh Produce is not worth the stop for me, but if you are dying for fruit, I'd stick to the ones kept outside and make sure to wash it well before consuming.

Wonderful fresh selection! I have been going to Barn Fresh for many years and it is wonderful!read more