We strive to bring you local, organic & sustainably sourced produce from over a dozen farms each week.
Thank you for supporting California Farms & please check out the tabs below for more information on our program!
Please select the number of bags and any additional products you would like to add for the corresponding pickup dates.
Click on the Details tab above for a full description of the program.
Click on the Details tab above for a full description of the program.
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- What is the Farmers' Market Bag?
- Local, organic & sustainably sourced produce from over a dozen farms each week. The Farmers' Market Bag (aka FMB) is our version of a CSA box. By definition, CSAs are composed of a "community of individuals who pledge support to a farm operation so that the farmland becomes, either legally or spiritually, the community's farm, with the growers and consumers providing mutual support and sharing the risks and benefits of food production" (ref).
A typical CSA consists of shareholders pledging a shared cost of the farms' operations. Each individual investment yields a share of farm crops, including a closer connection to freshly picked organic and sustainable produce that hasn't traveled thousands of miles nor has it been sitting on grocery shelves for days and weeks. Some weeks the bounty is plentiful, others can be a struggle. Shared risk is what it is like to be part of the farm. These farms raise food that is good for the soil, good for biodiversity and good for the community.
Our FMB program supports multiple California Farms & Farmers each week, with whom we have a direct relationship with. As a subscriber, you are demonstrating respect for the earth by taking responsibility for sustainable farming practices, energy efficient production and distribution while paying farmers decent fair wages, and elevating environmental consciousness. We appreciate everyone's dedication and commitment to this program and ultimately to the farms you are supporting. - How do I sign up?
- If you haven't already, you can register an account here.
- How do I order a bag?
- You order a bag right from the main Farmers' Market Bag page. The deadline to order a bag is Sunday at midnight to place an order for the following Thursday/Friday. You can place prepaid orders for up to 4 weeks in advance.
- What else can I order?
- In the spirit of collaboration, we are working with a few local companies to bring you a wider range of foodstuffs that you can add to your FMB. Sustainably caught fish from Catalina Offshore Products, outstanding California Cheeses from Venissimo Cheese & freshly baked breads from Bread on Market will be some of the products available for purchase. You are more than welcome to come on into the warehouse if you would like to purchase additional items as well!
- How much does it cost?
- It's only $20 for the standard bag of produce. Additional charges will apply to fish, cheese & bread.
- How do I pay?
- All purchases are now pre-pay by credit card, through our online ordering system!
- Do I have to log in each week to order?
- No! You can order up to 4 weeks at a time. The pricing of the products provided by our partners will change from week to week, and will be noted in their respective columns.
- Can I opt out?
- Yes! You control the frequency of your ordering, and can even cancel an order if you need to by managing your orders online. Please remember, the deadline to cancel with a full refund is Sunday at midnight for the following Thursday/Friday. If you would like to talk to someone about changing your order after the deadline, please call 619-876-4086.
- How will I know what is in the bag?
- The beauty of the system is that you don't always know! Don't worry though, unless April Fools Day falls on a Thursday or Friday, you will never get a bag filled only with chard. You should receive an email early in the week showing some of the items we have ordered for your bag. We receive all the produce on Wednesday from the Santa Monica Farmers' Market and other local farmers. We fill the bags, record a video & then upload it to all of our major social networking sites. Of course all produce is subject to farmers' market availabilities, sometimes the weather doesn't allow for harvesting (and we know we're all spoiled here in Southern California, so I won't mention weather again).
On Wednesday evening you will be able to see the latest FMB on YouTube or Facebook. - Where can I find information on the produce in the bag?
- All of our Farmers' Market produce has it's own page on our website specific to each farm! The weekly video will provide you with the names of the produce in the bag, as well as the farm it was grown by. You will also find a weekly updated post with links to the each product pages on our website. Be sure to check out all the recipe links and restaurants that are currently using that item on their menu.
- Where do I pick up my bag?
- Specialty Produce
1929 Hancock Street, Suite 150
San Diego, CA 92110
- When can I pick up my bag?
- 8am-6pm, Thursday and Friday. You must provide a valid ID & sign an invoice in order to pick up your bag. We will soon be implementing a Curbside Pickup Service, where you will be able to drive up to the warehouse & we'll bring the bag right out to your car! (Who else has a drive through produce stand, really?)
- What do I do if I need a friend to pick up a bag for me?
- After you have placed your order, you go to the "Manage My Orders" page and click on the "Modify" button for the week you need some help. Then you can input an alternate name if someone else is picking up your bag.
- What do I do if I can't pick up the bag until Saturday?
- Please call 619-876-4086.
- What happens if I don't pick up my bag?
- Hopefully the SMS &/or email alerts will help you to remember, we know everyone has busy schedules! If you do happen to forget, haven't called us to arrange another pick-up time, or have not canceled your order through our online interface, you will still be billed. Your bag will be donated in your name to a local charity coordinated through our efforts with Feeding America (homepage).
- Thank you for your interest & we hope you will share your FMB experience with us on our Facebook page! We look forward to seeing your creations...
- Would you like to share photos of what you make with your produce? We are continually looking to add photos to our "customer photos" database, as well as recipes you may have posted on your blog. Feel free to email photos and links to fmb@specialtyproduce.com to share with the community!
 Catalina Offshore Products |
Dave Rudie, a professional sea urchin diver, transformed his day job into the thriving seafood enterprise Catalina Offshore Products. Diving for sea urchins and seaweed during the day, he and his wife Kathy processed them in their garage in the evenings. Dave, Kathy, or Dave's sister, Julie, made fresh seafood deliveries the following day. After a short time, the business grew and Dave rented a processing plant part-time in the evening and hired five employees to help him process the sea urchins. Twenty five years later, Catalina Offshore Products is one of the largest seafood import and export companies in California because of their constantly growing satisfied customer base. Catalina has over sixty employees dedicated to providing the highest quality seafood and customer service working in their San Diego plant.
Catalina Offshore Products buys only the freshest seafood directly from reputable fishermen who catch their seafood throughout the pristine waters of Southern California and Baja California. Catalina Offshore Products technicians have trained these fishermen in the strict handling procedures necessary to preserve exceptional freshness and optimum quality. Most fishing is done with hand lines to save the environment and maintain our natural resources. Every boat contains chill tanks to ensure exceptional freshness, and we pick up the fish as it comes to the harbor or beach. Their 16,000 square foot processing plant is HACCP Compliant and as of the January 1, 2010, 100% solar powered! |
 Advanced Protein Solutions |
Advanced Protein Solutions works with top meat ranchers throughout the United States. Their offerings for the FMB are from Mishima Ranch. |
 Bread on Market |
Carrying on the vision and traditions of the original owner, Steve and Val Grover purchased Bread on Market a year ago. Steve, trained by Bo Freiberg, a renowned pastry chef, oversees the delicious sweets baked by their daughter Erica. Val runs the business, bringing in service, marketing, and sales expertise.They are assisted by two talented bakers. Alfredo, baking for 6+ years and Bruno, a former instructor at the San Diego Culinary Institute, both working hard to keep the place smelling warm and friendly. |
 Chuao Chocolatier |
Chuao Chocolatier (pronounced chew-WOW), San Diego's premier artisan chocolatier, was founded by Master Chef Michael Antonorsi and CEO Richard Antonorsi. On a mission to "arouse your senses with uniquely delicious chocolate experiences," Chef Michael has pioneered fusion chocolate with his balance of responsibly sourced cacao, all natural ingredients and endless creativity. His confections are loved by chocoholics around the world and have been praised by Time Magazine, Chef Bobby Flay, the Today Show, Good Morning America, the Food Network's Pat & Gina Neely and more.
Although their ancestors were cacao-farmers, the brothers haven't always made chocolate. In their thirties, Michael and Richard left behind successful high tech careers in Venezuela, their homeland, to pursue a dream. Michael's passion for food led him to Paris, where he trained as a French Chef at École Supérieure de Cuisine Française Ferrandi in Paris and completing specialized training in Pastry and Chocolaterie at the École LeNôtre. In 2002 the Antonorsi brothers, both UCSD graduates, met up in San Diego to launch Chuao Chocolatier, an artisan chocolate café in the Lumberyard in Encinitas. The company has since grown from its original location to include chocolate cafes in UTC and Del Mar Highlands and a presence in select specialty and gourmet retailers nationwide. |
 Peerless Coffee & Tea |
Peerless Coffee Company brings 85 years of roasting experience to every bag of coffee we sell. We are a certified GREEN BUSINESS, with more than 125 different types of coffee to choose from including varietals, estate coffees, organics and flavored beans, we work hard to create the perfect coffee experience for each of our customers. Along with our award winning coffees, Peerless offers a full line of gourmet teas hand selected from premier tea growing regions around the world. Our attention to detail and our superior customer service is what sets Peerless Coffee & Tea apart. |
 Venissimo Cheese |
Venissimo Cheese was founded by Gina & Roger Freize in San Diego, California, in 2003. But it almost never opened! The owner of the retail space was not interested in splitting a larger space nor leasing a little wedgie to an unknown business in an unknown industry (who wants to buy just cheese)? After spending months calling & faxing reasons to let Venissimo in, Gina overheard that the owner would be at the site on a certain day. So she snuck in with a cheese plate to let the product & presentation speak for itself. Needless to say, the owner was convinced & agreed to the deal the very next day! Venissimo Mission Hills opened its doors on January 17, 2003. Roughly three years later, Venissimo opened its second location in Del Mar. It's third shop in Belmont Shore just opened in November 2008 & its newest location - complete with an Academy of Cheese (AoC) - just opened in downtown San Diego in September 2009! Where next? Stay tuned...
Venissimo's mission is to do for cheese what Starbucks® did for coffee! "Someday, camembert will be as well-known as cappuccino," says Cheese Wiz Gina. We will do this by sharing the goodness & glory of cheese. Literally - when you visit the shop, you can taste absolutely anything you like. Friendly cheeseheads and descriptive receipts (complete with pronunciations, country of origin, milk type & more) aim to take the intimidation out of artisinal cheese shopping. Take a peek at our debut video on YouTube to get a feel for what we're all about. |
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Although our 'specialty' is fruit & vegetables, we also carry a full line of products you wish you had in your pantry. Aged Balsamic Vinegar, artisianal sea salts, truffle & infused oils and even saffron line our shelves! Keep an eye out for what we'll be offering.... |
Check out our YouTube videos of past Farmers' Market Bags...
Specialty Produce Farmers' Market Box (FMB™) Online Standard Terms and Conditions
PLEASE READ VERY CAREFULLY THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND THE FAQ BEFORE REGISTERING FOR THE SPECIALTY PRODUCE FARMERS MARKET BOX (FMB™) ONLINE PROGRAM. PARTICIPATION IN THE SPECIALTY PRODUCE FARMERS MARKET BOX (FMB™) ONLINE PROGRAM INDICATES THAT YOU ACCEPT THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS. IF YOU DO NOT ACCEPT THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS, PLEASE DO NOT REGISTER FOR OR PARTICIPATE IN THE SPECIALTY PRODUCE FARMERS MARKET BOX (FMB™) ONLINE PROGRAM.
- Program Participation
- Participation in the Program is subject to Specialty Produce's prior approval and continued compliance with the Program Policies (see "Program Policies"), and/or such other URL as Specialty Produce may provide from time to time. Specialty Produce reserves the right to refuse participation to any applicant or participant at any time in its sole discretion. By enrolling in the Program, You represent that You are at least 18 years of age.
- Program Policies
-
- Only registered users may participate in the FMB Program.
- The deadline for orders, changes and cancellations is Sundays at midnight for pickup the following Thursday/Friday.
- Pickup times are Thursday or Friday, 8am-6pm. You may call to have your pickup moved to Saturday if needed.
- Pickups are at the Specialty Produce warehouse, 1929 Hancock St., Suite 150, San Diego, CA 92110. Sorry, no deliveries.
- Unclaimed bags will be donated in the original purchaser's name to a local charity coordinated through our efforts with Feeding America (feedingamerica.org).
- Termination or Cancellation
- Specialty Produce reserves the right to cancel or terminate participation to any participant at any time at its sole discretion.
- No Guarantee
- Specialty Produce, its subsidiaries, affiliates, and agents make no guarantees, warranties or representations of any kind, expressed or implied, with respect to items of merchandise, and shall not be liable for any loss, expense (including without limitation, any legal fees), accident or inconvenience that may arise in connection with the use of such items or as a result of any assumed defect or failure of such items. For the avoidance of doubt, Specialty Produce does not guarantee the Program will be operable at all times or during any down time (i) caused by outages to any public Internet backbones, networks or servers, (ii) caused by any failures of Your equipment, systems or local access services, (iii) for previously scheduled maintenance or (iv) relating to events beyond Specialty Produce's (or its wholly owned subsidiaries') control such as strikes, riots, insurrection, fires, floods, explosions, war, governmental action, labor conditions, earthquakes, natural disasters, or interruptions in Internet services to an area where your servers are located or co-located.
- Limitations of Liability
- Each party acknowledges that the other party has entered into this Agreement relying on the limitations of liability stated herein and that those limitations are an essential basis of the bargain between the parties. Without limiting the foregoing and except for payment obligations, neither party shall have any liability for any failure or delay resulting from any condition beyond the reasonable control of such party, including but not limited to governmental action or acts of terrorism, earthquake or other acts of God, labor conditions, and power failures.
- Payment
- Payment for orders is done through our online ordering system by credit card for purchases up to 4 weeks in advance.
- Specialty Produce Rights
- You acknowledge that Specialty Produce owns all right, title and interest, including without limitation all Intellectual Property Rights (as defined below), in and to the Program (including Specialty Produce's serving technology, search technology, referral technology, and Brand Features, including implied licenses, and excluding items licensed by Specialty Produce from third parties and that You will not acquire any right, title, or interest in or to the Program except as expressly set forth in this Agreement. You will not modify, adapt, translate, prepare derivative works from, decompile, reverse engineer, disassemble or otherwise attempt to derive source code from any Specialty Produce services, software, or documentation, or create or attempt to create a substitute or similar service or product through use of or access to the FMB Program or proprietary information related thereto. "Intellectual Property Rights" means any and all rights existing from time to time under patent law, copyright law, semiconductor chip protection law, moral rights law, trade secret law, trademark law, unfair competition law, publicity rights law, privacy rights law, and any and all other proprietary rights, as well as, any and all applications, renewals, extensions, restorations and re-instatements thereof, now or hereafter in force and effect worldwide.
- Changes in Terms and Conditions :
- Specialty Produce reserves the right to change, limit, modify or cancel Program Terms and Conditions, regulations, conditions of participation in whole or part at any time. You will be bound by any such changes.
