Spotlight on Arata Farms

Greetings all! 

It's been a helluva week for us. I've pedaled a slow and steady 70.4 miles in the 

last 3 days after Sunday's 45 mile jaunt, and I'm feeling it! But tired or not, I got 

over to the Mission Community Market, and it was worth it.

This week we had the pleasure of talking to Dave at Arata Farms. Farmer Mike 

Arata and his jolly marketeer Dave come from Brentwood every Wednesday 

and Thursday, toting their apricots, cherries, nectarines, white peaches, plums, 

zucchini, red onions, and the largest red beets I've ever seen. 

I got to sample Arata's cherries a few weeks ago, when I took home a whole flat!
(I also learned the woes of cherry pitting.) Dave agrees that cherry season is his
favorite, but says that Mike's wife's holiday pies compete with eating the fruit for
the best part of marketeering.

Arata never slows down. As soon as stone fruits start to dry up, they harvest a 
huge crop of black mission figs (Last year we dried a case of them to make our 
fig rosemary bread!). After figs come persimmons, one of my favorite fruits, and 
tasty ugly quince. Arata closes out the year with a beautiful selection of Mike's 
wife's pies, in time for the holidays.

You can find Arata at the Castro Market on Wednesdays from 4-8 pm, or the
Mission Community Market on Thursdays from 4-8 pm. If you're sick of the city,
head over the 60-or-so miles to Brentwood to see Arata's market stall and their
Brentwood Farmers Market booth, or pick 'em yourself at their U-Pick.

Our menu this week includes Arata Farm Red Onion Sourdough, Dried Arata Apricot
Fennel Bread, and Lemony muffins with Arata Farm Cherry Compote. Get some this
Tuesday or Wednesday by ordering here.

Stay tuned for our next farm!
Sadie