Santee is lucky enough to have a thriving Farmers Market that meets weekly, rain or shine, and offers locally grown fresh produce, unique food ready to eat, and artisan crafts of many kinds. This weekly update will let you in on what produce is freshest and in season and will highlight new and interesting people and products at the Farmers Market.
The Farmers Market opens Wednesday at 3 p.m. and this article will be published by 3:30 p.m. every week, so you can check this page and get to the market for the best buys before it closes at 7 p.m (6 p.m. during winter).
The special buy this week is squash blossoms. This vibrant and fragile flower is a late-blooming squash plant, and therefore the blossom is picked because it wouldn't have time to mature into a squash. They are delicious when stuffed with a ricotta or goat cheese, baked, and served as an appetizer. Their season is short, so get them while they last.
As an introduction we'll give you an overview of what you can expect from the market, and for a visual rundown check out this video.
Once a week, in what is apparently an abandoned school parking lot on Mission Gorge Road, you will find more than 35 booths selling everything from heirloom tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, homemade soaps, jams, cookies (for you and your dog), to cacti and El Salvadorian papusas. What's being sold is only the half of it, the real story is the folks doing the selling! The regular cast of characters includes "Goosie the Cookie Lady" and the president of the San Diego Cactus and Succulent Society—the interesting conversation never ends.
As if fresh produce, delicious ready-to-eat food, unique arts and crafts, and good company isn't enough, a portion of the proceeds goes to the Santee School District.
In the 18 months the market has been around, it has developed a solid customer base, but the more the merrier!
More to come every week. For now, check out the market.
10445 Mission Gorge Rd
Santee, CA 92071
If you're interested in setting up a booth and selling wares at the market, contact info is below:
Manager: Andrea Hankins
Phone: 619-449-8427
Email: santeecertifiedfarmersmarket@gmail.com
