Livin' the Fruit Life! :)

I wanted to share various photos of the past few weeks of my customers and life at the markets as well as a video. Enjoy!

All loaded up & ready to roll out after the Concord market. Notice the giant coffee on the truck bed. Going to need that for the ride home!
Our display at Civic Center, SF.
One of my customers sampling the dried fruits & nuts.

The Civic market with City Hall in the background. They were playing the USA game on a big screen when they played Algeria in the World Cup! We could hear the roar when Donovan scored! Amazing!

The market is such a little subculture. These are my "market parents" Dave & Lori. They are from Modesto and sell organic, cage-free eggs. I met them 4 years ago when I started working. They really watch out for me (Civic is a crazy place!) and are there for whatever we need.

This is Yarone and his adorable son Cruve. They have been customers of ours for 2-3 years. It has been really neat because I have got to witness Cruve grow up throughout that time. He loves fruit and can name any fruit/vegetable you put in front of him!
Civic market.
At this point in the day when we are tying down, we have been working for 13+ hours and awake for about 16. I am so exhausted that I actually get silly. This is evidence of that! Haha
Tying down the trailer before leaving the market.
One of our customers pondering a cherry purchase. After trying a sample I am sure she bought!

Only in SF do you wear a scarf & jacket in the middle of June! Mark Twain once wrote, “The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.” The man was right!

My co-worker Katrina handing out apricot samples to customers. She is dancing to try and keep warm! I call her "Maganda", which is Filipino for "beautiful lady".
Unloading back at the farm. Driving home from market. A truck with no AC makes things interesting! Good morning San Francisco! Driving over the bay bridge at 5am!

A video of us pulling up to Civic Center bright & early! :)

I miei cugini! My cousins came to work with me, so fun!

This is one of my loyal customers at Crocker Galleria, Kathy. She buys my overripe fruit and makes jams & jellies with them. Just last year, her jam made with our yellow peaches won 1st place at the Eat Real Festival put on by Slow Food Nation at Jack London Square in Oakland!

I need this shirt! My friend who sells eggs at Half Moon Bay got this at the Farm Aid concert!

Yo e mi amigo Santiago. I have known him for about 4 years. He is so happy & friendly and is famous at the market!

A mural at the Portuguese hall in Half Moon Bay! I am going to stop there after work from now on to get a linquica sandwich!

Saw this at Starbucks and had to take a picture!

This is my friend Larry who sells at the organic vegetable stand across the way from me at Civic Center. I found a picture of him in an agriculture publication called California Country magazine. I brought it to him and he had no idea he was in it but was so happy to receive it!

Handing out yellow peach samples at Civic Center. "Peaches SO sweet, they might make you want to SLAP somebody - so be careful!"

Time to go home from Civic Center, finally!

San Francisco is such a beautiful city!

Getting the display out is key in setting up. A pretty display catches the consumer's eye and draws them in to sample our delicious fruit!

This reminds of my the crazy aunt when she talks about her growth in My Big Fat Greek Wedding: "....it was my twin!" These pluots and yellow peach are attached to their "double" which is probably due to the abundant rain this past spring. The attached ovary does not usually develop as fully. These would never be found in the grocery store as they would be culled in processing. Since our fruit is picked and immediately taken to market, we get to see fun stuff like this!
"SWEET fruit over here!"
My friend Mike from Half Moon Bay has a dahlia farm and brings me a bunch in exchange for some fruit. These dahlias are some of the most beautiful flowers I have ever seen!