5 farmers' markets not to miss in Los Angeles

Held every Saturday from 10 am until 3 pm outside the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza mall, this market is more comfortable than most with ample space for shopping and even better, places to sit for the immediate consumption of treats such as fresh produce, smoothies, homemade cobblers, pupusas and chicken curry.

The chefs that haven’t stocked up at the Santa Monica market will be here as well when it opens at 8 am on Sunday. With more than 160 vendors of fresh food and artisanal goods, there’s no better way to do Sunday brunch than sampling from stall to stall.

If you have kids, this is the market to check out: there’s an entire play zone devoted to them, featuring pony rides, a petting zoo, a climbing wall, and a train. Wear them out for a nap while you spend Sunday morning shopping for organic produce, grass-fed meats, and just-cut flowers.

An alternative to the massive (and massively popular) Santa Monica Farmers’ Market, this is a low-key, late-afternoon market that allows you to shop for locally made (and grown) goods in the quaint enclave of Altadena on Wednesdays. As dusk settles over the San Gabriel Mountains, you can picnic in Loma Alta Park.

On Sunday mornings, the parking lot of the Malibu Library transforms into what is the tony beach community’s most popular (and democratic) social event. With plenty of prepared foods, including a great selection of vegan and gluten-free items, there’s plenty to snack on while you pick from sun-kissed produce.