Not at the farmers market but at Whole Foods!

I was so dissappointed when I went to the L.A. Farmers Market, it wasn’t a farmers market at all!!! It was basically a food court full of fast food vendors. There was one little stand with fruits and vegetables, and all of them were from out of state, out of country for that matter (the lemons were from Chile). I KNOW that citrus grows is California, in fact, I know that almost everything and anything grows in California. What’s the deal? Why isnt’ there local food at the L.A. Farmers Market?

The only fruit and veg stand at the farmers market

A candy shop in the farmers market where they temper chocolate with their hands!?

They did have some nice looking bakeries at the farmers market

Check out these statistics about California agriculture:

• Top agricultural state
• Moderate climate and fertile soil allow year-round farming
• Produces more than 400 crops
• Produces more milk than any other state

BUT…

• California is the largest exporting state, about 12 times any other state
• Supplies more than half the country’s fruits, veg and nuts

So most food grown in California leaves the state and the country, unfortunatelly, quicker than Californians can get their share of it. Even though California is a successful producer, it still imports cheap crops from out of the country grown in abundance right here in state. This clearly yields a profit, but logically and environmentally, doesn’t make any sense.

So where did Nicole find local food in L.A….at Whole Foods Market. I can’t believe it, I had to go to a natural food corporate giant accross the street from the “farmers market” to find fresh, local, organic food. But again, it’s because Whole Foods makes more of a profit than any farmers market could. Bummer.

I cooked up some delicious fried rice with Chris and bought a Theo classic dark chocolate bar to console me. Recipe soon to follow…