A guide to Fresno and Clovis farmers markets

When you grow up surrounded by farms, it’s kind of a no-brainer to want to buy your produce directly from the neighbors who grow it. Hence why so many born-and-raised Central Valley-ans have so many memories of farmers markets. Back in olden times (gather round, kids…), farmers markets were even cheaper than supermarkets, cutting out the middleman as they do. Fresno is the nation’s fruit basket, after all.

The broader world, for better or worse, has largely caught on since then, making farmers market shopping very on trend. It’s hard to overstate how much better American food has gotten in the last 20 years, and people learning to shop and eat local (slow food, farm-to-table, macrobiotic diets – insert 20 other food trends here) has been a big part of that. A very good thing, generally speaking, though it has made farmers market produce actually being cheaper than the supermarket an iffier proposition. One of the charms of the Fresno area is that it’s probably a lot more likely here, where all things are slightly less trendy. 

Looking at the hard numbers, we found stone fruit for $3.50 a pound at the Old Town Clovis farmers market, whereas it was anywhere from $3 to $5 a pound at Von’s and SaveMart. Onions were $3 a pound at the farmers market, vs. $2.50 a pound at the grocery store. Red peppers were $3 each at Von’s, and $3 a pound at the farmers market. It’s hard to generalize much, given the variety of products, vendors, and markets around – the farmers set their own prices – but more often than not, local farmers market prices seemed to be comparable or better than supermarket prices for similar produce.

In any case, whatever you find, price-wise, you can still feel good about cutting out the middleman, and usually find better produce, in greater variety. As Parlier farmer Bryce Loewen told KVPR recently, “If you’re buying [fruit] in a conventional setting, what happens is they’re harvested in a very premature state and that’s done because they need to survive transportation, storage, various things that put a lot of strain on the fruit.”

Direct-from-the-grower is almost always the best way to buy. Meanwhile, very few supermarkets will be stocking the lesser-bought, hyper-seasonal kinds of produce you’ll find at an area farmer’s markets, with dizzying varieties of most everything, from fruit to chilis to sweet peppers and beyond. Not to mention cheese, eggs, jerky, honey and whatever prepared and artisanal products happen to be on offer that day (it’s hard to even generalize; the surprise is part of the fun).   

Going to a farmers market, buying from a grower face to face (who can tell you all about the variety, tips for choosing the best produce, etc) is also just a nicer experience. 

If there’s one reason that we don’t do it that way all the time, it’s probably simple convenience. You know when your supermarket is open, which is almost always. Farmers markets, on the other hand, are trickier. What day? What season? What are the hours? How many days a month again?

What this guide to Fresno County Farmers Markets presupposes is, what if we could make that process a little simpler? We did our best to collect updated information on all of Fresno County’s Farmers Markets, organized by list, day/time, and location. 

Did we miss any? Let us know!

The Vineyard Farmers Market

The Vineyard is arguably the most produce-focused farmers market in the area, with the most variety of product. It’s a great place to buy fruit – especially the more unusual kinds grown in the area that supermarkets don’t always stock – and the same goes for vegetables. They have a strong selection of the basics, plus a large selection of Asian vegetables and hyper-seasonal varieties of peppers, greens, tomatoes and aromatics (when in season, like now). They do have a few booths with prepared items, snacks and coffee, but it skews more toward the home cook.

Vendors vary based on season, but you can find up-to-date vendor lists every week on Instagram and Facebook. As of this writing, they include:

Local vegetable growers

• Cheng & Mao’s Produce
• Garcia Farms
• Marchini Sisters
• Leticia Farms C.C.O.F. {Saturday Only}
• Thao Farms
• Vine Ripe Tomatoes

Local fruit growers

• Bay Fresh Produce
• Blossom Bluff Orchards C.C.O.F.
• V.T. Iwo Ranches
• Thor Farms Blueberries (seasonal; generally April – May)
• Three Sisters Organics C.C.O.F.
• Mendoza Farms C.C.O.F.
• Triple Delight Blueberry (seasonal; May- June)

Local specialty growers

• CH Farms (Chicken and Duck Eggs)
• Kingsburg Honey (local honey)
• E & H Farms (mushrooms) (Saturday only)
• Rocky Oaks Creamery (Saturday only)
• Tasty Cows
• Whole Systems AG/ Laurel Botanicals (Saturday only)
• Zone9 Farms (Microgreens)

Artisan food vendors

• Central Valley Spices (seasonal: returning in October)
• Culture Bakehouse (Saturday only)
• Fabiano’s Coffee Roasters (Saturday only)
• La Boulangerie
• Mediterranean To Go (Saturday only)
• Raphio Craft Chocolate (Saturday only)
• Volcano Johnny’s

You can always check their socials for updated lists.

Old Town Clovis Farmers Market

Clovis’s Old Town Farmers Market is a bit more of a “scene,” more of a hangout than a lot of the others, with lots of prepared items, food vendors and live music to go along with the produce.

We weren’t able to get ahold of an up-to-date vendors list as of this writing (sometimes it’s on the website), but the organizers did note two dozen certified farmers, five dozen artisan vendors (by far the most on this list), plus a dedicated food and activities section for children (sometimes including live farm animals).

If the Vineyard is the farmers market for chefs and home cooks, Old Town is the one for families. It’s a great place to take the kids to grab a bite and hang out, or to pick some things up on the way in or out of a nearby restaurant or bar. It also tends to host the most live music.

River Park Farmers Market

If Vineyard is the cheffiest farmers market and Old Town Clovis is all about small-town Americana, River Park is arguably the most event-driven. There’s usually a kooky theme – Fresno Bacon Festival, Y2K Nostalgia Night, Ranch Rave (as in the dressing), just to name a few – and some Disney characters for your kids to meet, along with food trucks. It aspires to be a bit livelier than the other farmers markets in town. It’s not your “grandma’s quiet stroll” kind of  farmers market.

It has been operating for 26 years, and won the Fresno Bee’s Best of Central California reader’s poll for Best Farmers Market.

Some of their vendors include:

• Glory Jeanne Honey
• Yohibachi
• Vesolaya Gardens (local, regenerative produce)
• Ferment & Floud (small-batch sourdough)
• Sourdough by Savanah B
• Yosemite Lemonade
• Trendy Bitz (Shoe charms and trending items)
• Adoorable Customs (crafts)
• Noemi Riveras Crochet

The Market on Kern

Celeste Carranza, market coordinator for the Downtown Fresno Partnership writes:

“What makes our market unique is our emphasis on local, certified farmers and fresh produce. Visitors can expect seasonal fruits and vegetables, along with specialty items such as lavender, herbs, microgreens, Asian fruits and veggies, and some of the best Strawberries. Our ‘grow what you sell’ model means the farmers are directly connected and harvest what they bring to market.”

She adds that the market does have some prepared foods, but only small bites and local treats, noting, “We intentionally limit full-service food truck vendors. Our goal is to encourage visitors to explore the produce, meet the farmers and makers, and enjoy a more traditional market experience.”

They also accept WIC and offer SNAP and Market Match.

Vendors vary – check the event page for the latest – but the most recent includes:

• Aguas Las Rancheritas
• Artesanias Moracas
• Bay Fresh
• Bowtiful Creations
• Butternut Baking Co
• Diaz Farms
• DINO Boba
• Ferrer Farm
• Folklórica With Love
• GT Florists & Herbs
• Kayy Essential
• Kiku Floral
• Knotty Chix LLC
• Mz Taqueria & Mz Snacks
• Noemi Rivera’s Crochet
• Oak Patch Vegetables
• Oroxer Honey
• RosieSweets
• Sourdough B
• The Corndog Company

Woodward Farmers Market

If River Park is not your grandma’s Sunday stroll kind of farmers market, Woodward very much is. A bit smaller than Vineyard or Old Town Clovis, it nonetheless offers a decent selection of produce (as well as mushrooms, nuts, honey) and flowers. It’s a great farmers market for a pre or post-brunch walk.

Currently, CFFMA event coordinator Matt Kachadoorian notes that Woodward Farmers Market offers “more than 200 varieties of fresh fruits and vegetables,” along with specialty items like “fresh hummus, salsas, freshly baked artisan breads and desserts, farm fresh eggs, micro greens, herbs, fresh pressed juices, local chocolates, nut spreads, honey, fresh cut flowers, artisans, food trucks, and more.”

As of this writing, the Woodward Farmers Market is the only area farmers market operating every Sunday, and there are plans in place for it to double in size in order to meet the demand in north Fresno.

Canal Market (Coming Soon!)

RIP, Tower District Farmers Market; long live the Canal Market!

Operated by the South Tower Community Land Trust, the Canal Market is being planned as a way to bring fresh produce to an urban, walkable neighborhood that currently has plenty of liquor stores but no grocery stores.

While it’s still in the planning stages, the vision includes a farm market, street food, as well as arts and culture programming, and workshops on local and organic food. Market coordinator Adrienne Diaz says that the Canal Market “will open on Saturdays starting this Winter,” along with plans to “operate a biweekly market year-round.”

The location is alongside the titular canal, behind the Sifu Skate Shop. It sounds like riverfront produce shopping, Fresno-style. 

Yo’Ville Farmers Market

The Yo’Ville Community Garden and Farm is a community farming project designed to give residents of southwest Fresno access to tools, knowledge and land on a seven-acre site behind the Yosemite Village housing complex. Their once-a-month farmers market is designed to showcase some of the products they grow there.

While it’s the newest farmers market on the list, their most recent market advertised fresh local produce, a kids’ play area, a paper flower-making station; herbal, art, and wellness vendors, as well as free gardening resources. They also note that they accept EBT and WIC.

Kerman Farmers Market

Another once-a-month farmers market, the Kerman Farmers Market is owned and operated by the City of Kerman Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department. Their market director notes that they offer “fresh produce, food trucks, crafts, artisan goods, and more. Each market features health and nutrition education with activities for the whole family. Occasionally, we have a visit from the official Kerman Farmers Market mascot, Zesty the Orange.”

Some of their featured vendors include Ferrer Farms, Siembre Y Cosecha, Rojas Produccion, Navarro Boy Farms, Klein Family Farms, and Raw Rex Honey.

Here’s a handy guide to the markets, sorted by day