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We love local fresh vegetables, what area of the country has the most year-round farmers markets (locally grown) produce? I’m coming from an extremely cold north central state lol .
Well, the entire United States except Hawaii and Alaska has a "temperate Northern Hemisphere" climate, meaning that the majority of food crops are sown (or pollinated, for fruits) in the spring, mature through the summer, and are harvested in the fall. There are of course fall/winter crops (leafy vegetables) and spring crops (asparagus shoots) but the realities of how plants grow will dictate that most farmers' markets will see fresh vegetables from lates spring through fall.
Our local farmer's markets are officially open every week, rain or shine, but in reality each separate market may have 3 or 4 occasions per year when most vendors don't show up because of inclement weather. That may be either torrential rain or very high winds that threaten to blow the tents away. But obviously, that kind of weather is pretty rare here. And since there are different markets each day of the week, if Tuesday is rained out then you can go to a different nearby market on Wednesday.
Every week, regardless of season, the vendors offer citrus fruits, apples, strawberries, greens (lettuce etc.), cruciferous vegetables (broccoli etc.), avocados, carrots, tomatoes, peppers, squash, eggs, fresh flowers, and lots more.
California farmer's markets are certified, meaning the produce is sold by the farmers (not bought from other farmers and resold; that's not allowed), and was grown within a certain radius of the market (not shipped across the country).
Some of San Francisco's farmers markets are open year-round: sf.funcheap.com/city-guide/funcheaps-guide-farmers-markets
But of course you'll find a wider array of produce in August than in January.
A lot of California and all of Florida and Hawaii. Hawaii is my favorite, you get fruit and veggies that aren't even here on the mainland, like apple bananas. Tart, really flavorful, haven't seen anything like them off the islands.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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When we lived in the Bay Area we would go once a month or so to Brentwood, CA and bought fresh produce from the stands that farmers put up along the roads in the agricultural areas. The last time we were in the area we noticed that much of that was since replaced by new house developments, but we stopped at a farmer's market there. It's open on Saturdays 9am-1pm all year long. Here our farmers markets are usually open just May-October.
I would say California. But more specifically, Southern California.
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