FAIRFIELD — Why get your dinner out of a can when there are so many farmers markets and produce stands to get healthy, fresh produce?
Solano County shows off its agricultural bounty with a healthy crop of farmers markets from Dixon to Vallejo that offer a wide selection of the county’s produce – from peaches to tomatoes to, uh, Kettle corn.
Some are available year-round while others open in the spring and wrap up their seasons in the fall.
The freshness and variety of what farmers markets can offer just can not be beat.
“I love tasting the peach samples before deciding what I will buy,” said Jackson Williams, a frequent shopper at the Vacaville Farmers Market. “I also make the trek to (Sievers Road) for their produce and locally baked pies.”
Bonnie Saunders, of Dixon, who shops at Pedrick Produce, said the local produce she buys makes her meals much tastier, from her soups to cobblers.
“We are lucky to live here with the long-growing seasons and healthy number of farms and orchards,” Saunders said.
The local markets are:
- Fairfield Certified Farmers Market: 3 to 7 p.m. Thursdays, May through early October. Lawn at Jefferson Street just north of Texas Street. Info.:
www.pcfma.org. - Vacaville Farmers Market: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays, May through late October. Andrews Park Creekwalk. Info.: www.visitvacaville.com.
- Rio Vista Farmers Market: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays, May through early October. Main Street from 2nd Street to 3rd Street. Info: riovista.org/event-calendar.
- Kaiser Permanente Vallejo Farmers Market: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Fridays, year-round. 975 Sereno Drive. Info.: www.pcfma.corg.
- Vallejo Farmers Market: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays, year-round. 400 block of Georgia Street. Info.: www.pcfma.org.
- Kaiser Permanente Vacaville Farmers Market: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesdays, year-round. 1 Quality Drive. Info: healthy.kaiserpermanente.org.
- Benicia’s Certified Farmers Market: 4 to 8 p.m. Thursdays through Oct. 26. First Street between B and D streets. Info.: www.beniciamainstreet.org.
The local produce stands include:
- Larry’s Produce: 4606 Suisun Valley Road, Fairfield. 9 a.m. to 5 p;.m. daily. Info: www.larrysproduce.com.
- Erickson Ranch Produce Stand and Dahlia Garden: 2482 Cordelia Road, Fairfield. 1-707-290-9161. [email protected] Info: www.ericksonranch.com.
- Robledo Produce: 4300 Russell Road, Fairfield. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. May to October.
- Shooting Star Organic Farm: P.O. Box 3087. Fairfield. 1-707-207-0548. [email protected]. Info: www.shootingstarorganicfarm.com.
- Cal Yee Farms: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday to Sunday, year-round. 5158 Clayton Road, Fairfield. 1-800-225-9337. Info: www.calyeefarm.com.
- Castaneda Brothers Produce: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. July through November. 211 Fruitvale Road, Vacaville. 1-707-495-6944. Info: www.facebook.com/castanedabros/
- Olive Tree Farm and Market: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. during summer months. 7335 Oday Road, Vacaville. Info: 707-678-5550.
- Saechao Family Farm: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. through fall. 2707 Rockville Road, Suisun Valley. Info: 1-707-422-6357.
- Vacaville Fruit Co. Inc.: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday. 2055 Cessna Drive, Suite 200, Vacaville. 1-707-448-5292. Info: www.vacavillefruit.com.
- Dixon Fruit Market: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Thursday. 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday to Sunday. Year-round. 7808 Batavia Road, Dixon. 1-707-678-4211. Info: www.dixonfruit.com.
- Pedrick Produce: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. Open year-round. 6850 Sievers Road, Dixon. Info: 707-768-1814.
