Sundays are made for family! One of our favorite weekend family traditions is taking the kids down to the Leucadia Farmers Market to eat a healthy brunch and stock up for the week on fresh, Certified Organic produce and local, homemade goodies.
Over 75 vendors fill booths with colorful fruit and veggies from nearby farms….many picked early that morning. In addition to fresh produce, you’ll find plants, flowers, baked goods, meats and seafood, pasta, sauces, marinades and juices. From the locally made Baby Clydesdale hot sauces, Fully Loaded Juicery and gluten-free bread from Johann’s Bakery, to Basiltops Pumpkin Seed Pesto, SD Ginger Beer Co., and Jerky Bros. gluten-free beef jerky, you’ll find something intriguing to try.
The girls love trying the Ganna Love fresh pressed sugar cane juice. One of their favorite things to do at the Farmer’s Market is to taste test everything. Spring Hill Organic Cheese, and just about everyone else, has samples on display and the littles make sure to try them all.
Gaytan Family Farms come down from Santa Barbara and Riverside with heaps of fresh heads of broccoli and cauliflower, bunches of bright orange carrots, and just picked celery, perfect for our morning juicing. I got our hydroponic kale from Sundial Farm in Vista and MorningStar Ranch handed out samples of their delicious green drinks and energizing green bars.
The food court area serves both breakfast and lunch. You can choose from crepes, omelettes, Indian fare, fresh poke, sushi, Thai, or even Jamaican. Annel & Drew’s Local Kitchen serves up the best grilled balsamic artichokes and organic veggie cakes! Anthem Vegan is there with 100% plant based tacos and wraps. And the local and beloved Peace Pies have delicious raw, vegan, gluten-free desserts. We love to eat our lunch on the lawn while we listen to some of the live musicians playing in the courtyard.
Hard-to-find fruit, like sapote, is available at only $1.50/pound. What a treat! The girls marveled at how the farm fresh eggs come in so many different hues. They even learned about worm castings and how and why to compost.
We find it impossible to leave without bringing home a fresh bouquet of flowers for the kitchen table.
Fresh micro-greens from Lath House Gardens, an urban farm and nursery in San Diego, are abundant.
Local artisans come to the market to sell their goods. Handmade crafts abound, from buddha-shaped candles and intricate crystal jewelry, to knitted hats and an endless array of delicate hair accessories. Beautiful soaps are on display and creams and lotions come straight from the lavender farms.
Dogs aren’t allowed at the market because of school district and health rules, but you can find healthy, gluten-free doggie treats made by Shaded Trails to bring home to your furry friend. You can find something for just about everyone!
The Leucadia Farmers Market is held on Sundays from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm at the Paul Ecke Elementary School at 185 Union Street, Encinitas, CA 92024. Parking can be a little tough and they encourage biking. They even give out Bicycle Bucks for $1.00 off your purchase if you ride your bike to the market! Kids can play on the school playgrounds, plus there is usually face painting and balloon twisting available. Proceeds from the market generously help support the Paul Ecke Central School P.T.A. and the Leucadia Main Street Association.
