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The Latest in Fresno Food Truck News

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Natali Carrera
Natali Carrera is a devoted coffee addict who also loves her twelve-year-old son, husband of 17 years and bargain hunting at Target. She works in the field of education and is also a freelance writer and YouTube vlogger (as a hobby). She's been told "bubbly" is the best descriptor of her personality, though she wonders if what people really mean is that she talks too much. Natali is a lifelong Fresno resident and Fresno State grad.
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Life as we know it has definitely been altered this Spring, with some restaurants remaining open for takeout and delivery throughout shelter-in-place and some having to make the difficult decision to close either temporarily or in some cases, sadly – permanently.

One thing that has remained consistent throughout this period of time is the presence of awesome food trucks in our community. Though their locations throughout the week vary, their dedication to offering patrons a wide variety of food items spanning a multitude of cuisines has not wavered in these uncertain times, and thanks to some outside the box thinking and flexibility on the part of food truck owners to rapidly adapt to changing safety rules some exciting new things are happening within the Fresno food truck scene.

Here are a few key updates we think are of note for Fresno foodies!

New Food Trucks

Barb’s Soul Food – Though Barb is no rookie when it comes to cooking, the food truck is still relatively new, so if you haven’t had a chance to try Barb’s delicious and comforting soul food yet, make yourself a note to remedy that very soon. Learn more about Barb’s and view their stop schedule on their website here.

Sticky Rice on Wheels – this truck offers authentic Lao food like “Heavenly Beef” (Sin Savanh), a thinly sliced and deliciously marinated beef and rice dish and Papaya Salad and Kua Mee (fried noodles with vegetables). Check out their food photos and see where they’ll be located next by following their Instagram account!

Kua Mee
(Image credit: Sticky Rice on Wheels)

Big Wagon BBQ – This food truck just recently popped up on the scene and is located in one spot all week, at 2257 W. Shaw Avenue right by The Annex Kitchen. Big Wagon’s menu is similar to In & Out – not a ton of different options, but the items they offer are darn good. Their entrees include a Spicy Chicken Sandwich made with Mary’s chicken, a Spicy Tri-Tip Sandwich featuring chimichurri and Fresno chiles and a BBQ Tri-Tip sandwich. My family just tried one of each (we shared around) and thought all three sandwiches were really good. The Spicy Chicken was our #1 favorite if you need us to pick one though. Visit their website and order online in advance here.

Big Wagon BBQ’s Spicy Chicken Sandwich
Big Wagon BBQ’s Spicy Tri-Tip Sandwich
Big Wagon BBQ’s BBQ Tri-Tip Sandwich

New Food Truck Times

Did you know you can now grab lunch from a variety of different food trucks on Fridays at the Vineyard Farmer’s Market from 11am – 2pm? It’s true! Additionally, The Frappe House located at 2777 E. Nees is also hosting Friday lunch food truck hubs from 11am – 3pm. Follow Fresno Street Eats to keep tabs on which trucks will be at each location and of any updates to the schedule.

New Food Truck Gathering Spots

Fresno Street Eats has also been hard at work planning neighborhood Food Truck Pop-Up events in different neighborhoods around the Fresno/Clovis area! This coming weekend, on Saturday, May 30th, you can find tasty food and desserts in Belterra Park, Copper River Ranch and La Ventana neighborhoods! For more specific details and to keep up to date with future planned Pop-Ups, visit Fresno Street Eat’s event page here.

Location Change

Recently, a popular food truck El Tibu Taqueria (made extra Facebook famous by one of its biggest fans, Fresno Unified Superintendent Bob Nelson, who often stopped for dinner en route home from long workdays) had to make a location change. If you visited El Tibu at 145 and Highway 41 previously, you can now find their truck at 6053 N. Blackstone Ave. from 11am to 10pm daily. Follow them on Facebook for updates here. Superintendent Nelson, my husband, and my son all adore the Al Pastor tacos, my neighbor touts the burrito as an excellent choice, and I adore their Carne Asada tacos, specifically with their red salsa.

El Tibu
Thrilled with our El Tibu plates

FresYes Car Scavenger Hunt Wrap Up & Weekly List Archive

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Natali Carrera
Natali Carrera is a devoted coffee addict who also loves her twelve-year-old son, husband of 17 years and bargain hunting at Target. She works in the field of education and is also a freelance writer and YouTube vlogger (as a hobby). She's been told "bubbly" is the best descriptor of her personality, though she wonders if what people really mean is that she talks too much. Natali is a lifelong Fresno resident and Fresno State grad.
Latest posts by Natali Carrera (see all)

For the past three weeks, we’ve been hosting a super fun photography Car Scavenger Hunt that gets families out of their homes and into our awesome City for some free and easy entertainment.

Each week, we posted a new list of 14 items to find in the Fresno/Clovis area and photograph for entry into our weekly contest. We awarded a prize to the first party to finish each week, as well as two additional prizes via weekly drawing for all Scavenger Hunt completers. It has been SO MUCH FUN for us to see all the photos, everyone’s smiling faces and glimpses of our city through lenses other than our own.

Week Three Drawing Winners the Grunau Family on their hunt
The Flores family out to find the items on our week 3 list
Nana, Oliver, Milo and Xander out on the hunt!
Know where to snap a photo of this awesome purple house? If so, you’ll have one item down already on our week 3 list!
Lucha Reyna and crew got great photos Downtown during week 2 (see next)
Like this great shot!

Though our official contest period might be over, we still want to encourage anyone who did not get to join in on the fun to do so now, so below you’ll find all three of our weekly hunt lists! All you have to do is hop in the car, designate a photographer and try to find and snap a photo of at least 12 items from each list. Even the creator of our weekly lists, FresYes Blogger Natali Carrera and her family said they had a ton of fun trying out the hunts for themselves, despite being ineligible to win prizes.

Thank you again to everyone who participated and made this event such a success! And for those getting ready to get started now, happy hunting!

Introducing the FresYes Car Scavenger Hunt!

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Natali Carrera
Natali Carrera is a devoted coffee addict who also loves her twelve-year-old son, husband of 17 years and bargain hunting at Target. She works in the field of education and is also a freelance writer and YouTube vlogger (as a hobby). She's been told "bubbly" is the best descriptor of her personality, though she wonders if what people really mean is that she talks too much. Natali is a lifelong Fresno resident and Fresno State grad.
Latest posts by Natali Carrera (see all)

When was the last time everyone in your household got in the car and went somewhere together? Odds are you really had to stop to think about the answer to that question given the unprecedented time we are all currently living through.

While there are numerous expert suggestions regarding how we should be structuring our time and helping our children learn while physically away from their schools, here at FresYes we thought it might be nice to give you an opportunity to do something that’s really low-pressure, a lot of fun, requires no planning AND even gives your family the opportunity to compete for a prize!

For the next 3 weeks, we will be hosting the FresYes Car Scavenger Hunt. This Scavenger Hunt keeps your family safe and socially distanced while giving you a fun reason to get out of the house together.

Here’s how it will work:

  1. Everyone who wants to participate will rsvp to our public Facebook event here.
  2. Once you have rsvp’d, watch the event page on Friday afternoons. Each Friday we will drop the official weekly FresYes Car Scavenger Hunt list of items to find.
  3. Gather your household members and hop in the car. Head out to search for an example of each item on the list. When you get near it, have someone who is NOT driving (safety first!) snap a clear photo of the item on your list from within your car.
  4. When you’ve found all items – create a post in the FresYes Car Scavenger Hunt event page and upload your photos of found items and places.
  5. THERE ARE 2 WAYS TO WIN! 1. The first group to successfully complete their hunt and upload as directed will win a prize AND 2. Everyone who successfully completes their list and uploads their photos prior to the following Friday at 12pm will be entered to win a prize as well! We will be giving away 3 prizes each week – your very own copy of Fresno’s own special Monopoly game – Fresopoly!

The fine print:

To be entered to win, your group must submit photos of all items listed for that week’s competition as one post. By participating, you grant permission to FresYes Realty to share photos you contribute online as a way of sharing the event with others. There is no cost to participate. All photos must be taken from inside the vehicle and while observing Physical Distancing guidelines. (i.e. don’t get out and take photos and don’t go on a scavenger hunt in the same vehicle with people who are not from within your household). You must observe all local laws and regulations and avoid parking in areas in which parking is not allowed.

Now that you know all the details – let’s kick this off with a bang! Our first week’s FresYes Car Scavenger Hunt list drops tomorrow afternoon at 3pm! Head to Facebook now to RSVP to ensure you’ll be able to see the list. Happy hunting and have FUN!

Clovis Rodeo Cancellation Has Huge Impact on Community

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Sarah Soghomonian
TV Producer and fan of all things fabulous.Bulldog Born, Bulldog Bred!
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This weekend thousands of Valley residents would have been dressing up in their cowboy and cowgirl best and celebrating the 106th Clovis Rodeo.

          Due to COVID-19, the annual event has been canceled. The only other time the Clovis Rodeo didn’t take place was during WWII.

          “It was not an easy decision for the rodeo committee to cancel the 2020 Clovis Rodeo due to COVID-19, but one that we felt was necessary because the health and welfare of our friends and neighbors must come first,” said the Clovis Rodeo Committee in a statement to FresYes. “We have numerous charities and community organizations that benefit from the rodeo annually. The support of our fans, volunteers and incredible Clovis Rodeo sponsors make it all possible. The City of Clovis estimates that the economic impact of the Clovis Rodeo is almost $15 million annually.”

The Clovis Rodeo takes place the last weekend of April. It is canceled this year due to COVID-19.

          One of the non-profit organizations that rely heavily on funds raised during the rodeo is the Old Town Clovis Kiwanis Club. One-third of their yearly budget comes from the concession and beer booth they operate north of the area behind the grandstands.

          “Our club is grateful every year for the opportunity to fundraise at the Clovis Rodeo,” said Taylor Hillman, a board member with the Old Town Clovis Kiwanis. “100% of the funds we raise go back into the community to further the Kiwanis mission, to serve the children of the world.”

          The cancellation and postponement of other events such as the Clovis Rodeo Association’s golf tournament and Big Hat Days is also impacting fundraising efforts by the Old Town Clovis Kiwanis.

          “Our fundraising efforts fuel a wide array of events and donations throughout the year that benefit the children of our community,” Hillman said. “Our club supports groups such as the Special Olympics, Clovis Unified Schools and Sports, Boys and Girl Scouts, the Clovis Police Department, and more. Our club also donates time and money to Clovis parks and trails beautification and improvements, holiday food baskets and clothing, scholarships for students, and our local high school key clubs. In addition, the Old Town Clovis Kiwanis Club puts on one of the biggest events in the city, the Children’s Electric Christmas Parade. This yearly event is not a fundraiser for our club and is something we do out of our budget for the community.”
          The Old Town Clovis Kiwanis Board of Directors has already held a virtual meeting where tough decisions have begun to be made regarding planned donations.

          Anyone who would like to contribute to the Old Town Clovis Kiwanis Club can do so online. They have a Paypal account set up on the “Donate” page of their website.

          The Clovis Rodeo is traditionally a four-day event. This year it had been expanded to five days. In addition to the classic rodeo events, two concerts, a dance and large parade were set to take place.

          During rodeo week, every hotel room in Clovis and the surrounding area is typically full. The Clovis Rodeo Grounds have 10,000 seats available per day and the events sell out each year.

          All this activity is very important for local business. Julie Glenn and her family own the restaurants House of JuJu and Papa’s Place and On The Edge coffee shop in Old Town Clovis. Their revenue is already down 75% because of COVID-19 and with no rodeo this year; it’s going to be tough.

          “Old Town Clovis is about community so the shutdown of these events, including the events like the wine walk and antique fair are crucial to our community,” Glenn said. “They not only bring people into our town but also provide free family entertainment.”

          House of JuJu and Papa’s Place are open for takeout and you can still walk in for coffee at On The Edge.

          “Our community has been so incredibly supportive,” Glenn said. “We are so blessed with an amazing community all throughout Fresno County. Every bit helps.”

          As for the Clovis Rodeo, if you already had purchased tickets you have three options. You can receive a refund, exchange your tickets for the 2021 rodeo performance or in lieu of a refund, you can donate the face value of your tickets to the Clovis Rodeo Foundation.

          The 107th Clovis Rodeo is April 21-25th, 2021. You can learn more at ClovisRodeo.com

Rock on! Fresno

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Jason Farris
Head YES man at FresYes.com
I grew up in Fresno. Relaxed in its calm breezes, listened with my dad to the crack of the bat at little league baseball games when I was a kid and now take my son to do the same at minor league games. I broadened my mind at its schools (I went to high school right here at San Joaquin Memorial, and to college at Fresno State!) I love that if I drive for two hours in one direction, I can be in the mountains. For two hours in another, luxuriating on a California beach. I can enjoy the cosmopolitan atmosphere of San Francisco or Los Angeles, but still be able to come home to relaxation, calm, and quiet.

I love where I live, and I also love what I do. I'm lucky to be able to work in a profession in which I get to build relationships; one that has me meeting new people each and every day and helping them to build new lives in my beloved city. I'm lucky enough to work in a profession in which I can marry cutting-edge technologies and marketing techniques to good, old-fashioned, nose-to-the-grindstone work. I am lucky enough to work in a profession that allows me to work as an advocate for my clients; to use every tool at my disposal to get a job done well for them, and with as little stress and expense as possible.

I love my city. I love my job. One inspires my excellence for the other.

Fresno? I say FresYES
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It seems like every day now I see someone posting on Instagram or Facebook a picture of a painted rock with an inspiring message they found while walking their neighborhood.

It makes sense, a lot of us are now taking daily brisk walks instead of being glued to our office chairs or pumping iron at our favorite gym. Back in June of 2017, we wrote an article about the then trend of placing and finding rocks – a kind of scavenger hunt/geocaching craze.

I’ve always loved the idea of people finding small motivating messages in something as simple as a rock. It’s like finding a rare four-leaf clover in a field of threes. To make sure there are plenty of rocks to be found randomly by folks in our community, FresYes agents and staff have gone to work carefully painting (we wore gloves and mask while doing) rocks and leaving them randomly in the neighborhoods we each live in. My hope is that you find one during one of your future rocks and it brings a smile and hope to your life. #fresyesrocks

Celebrate Vintage Days 46th Year by Participating from Home this Weekend

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Natali Carrera
Natali Carrera is a devoted coffee addict who also loves her twelve-year-old son, husband of 17 years and bargain hunting at Target. She works in the field of education and is also a freelance writer and YouTube vlogger (as a hobby). She's been told "bubbly" is the best descriptor of her personality, though she wonders if what people really mean is that she talks too much. Natali is a lifelong Fresno resident and Fresno State grad.
Latest posts by Natali Carrera (see all)

Since 1975, people of all ages have enjoyed flocking to Fresno State’s campus to celebrate spring’s arrival at the Vintage Days Festival. Vintage Days is thrown each year by a student committee that spends months planning the event. Attractions include live music and performances, a huge craft and vendor fair, a car show, the kids zone filled with fun activities and inflatables for children to enjoy and of course the ever-popular student and club booths featuring foods and refreshments representing a wide-variety of cultures and carnival-style game booths.

I can personally remember riding through the crowds on my Dad’s shoulders, dancing to live music played by my uncle (local musician Roger Perry) and winning a goldfish at the ring toss booth. I’m certainly not the only one with fond favorite memories of Vintage Days. Alumni and former Student Director of USU Productions Eric Morin said, “We (my wife and I) usually look forward to our kettle corn, cinnamon roll and barbecue beef sandwich, and I also just really look forward to running into old classmates, faculty advisors – it feels like a mini-homecoming.

Raine Bumatay, Principal of the Fresno Adult School also shares Morin’s love of Vintage Day food, as she professed her love for the corn dogs from the Newman Center and “Fresno State’s root beer! That’s a must!”

Nicole Grace grew up in Fresno and now resides in Hayward, CA, however she makes the drive down to enjoy Vintage Days each year. “I always went as a kid, so many good memories with my parents and grandparents. Our favorite part is probably visiting the art building since I took so many classes there. We always leave with some pottery and blown glass made by the students.”

Given this year’s extenuating circumstances caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Vintage Days cannot take place in its typical fashion, attracting crowds of festival goers. However, all is not lost! The Vintage Days committee has been hard at work adapting plans to ensure Valley residents can still enjoy a large portion of their beloved attractions virtually – this year’s Vintage Days Festival has gone digital!

Here’s all the info you need to know, to enjoy Vintage Days 2020 from the comfort and safety of your home.

Vintage Days will run for three days, Friday, April 17th – Sunday, April 19th. The student-run festival, which typically attracts about 50,000 attendees, will this year shift to an online format featuring musicians, dance groups and other performance artists via social media posts and stories. Online festivalgoers will be able to enjoy curated playlists featuring local talent previously scheduled to perform during the event.

Arts and crafts activities for children will be downloadable on the Vintage Days website and be featured in instructional videos on Vintage Days social media accounts. Projects will utilize common household items for materials.

Automotive enthusiasts can also submit their vehicles to participate in the online car show by filling out the online application requesting photos, make and model and any interesting information about the vehicle. Community members will be able to vote for the people’s choice award on Sunday, April 19.

Fans of the expansive Crafts Faire, a staple of Vintage Days, will be able to peruse and shop the directory and gallery of artisans who create unique, handmade goods including jewelry, children’s toys, home décor and much more on the festival’s website.

To enjoy the festival and ensure you don’t miss a moment of your favorite performances, Connect with @FSVintageDays on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or visit fresnostate.edu/vintagedays to participate.

The festival is expected to return to its regular, in-person format outside the Satellite Student Union at Fresno State from April 16 through 18, 2021.

FresYes Fest 2020 – Postponed

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Natali Carrera
Natali Carrera is a devoted coffee addict who also loves her twelve-year-old son, husband of 17 years and bargain hunting at Target. She works in the field of education and is also a freelance writer and YouTube vlogger (as a hobby). She's been told "bubbly" is the best descriptor of her personality, though she wonders if what people really mean is that she talks too much. Natali is a lifelong Fresno resident and Fresno State grad.
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As sponsors of the wildly popular (and rightfully so) annual FresYes Fest hosted each year by Tioga Sequoia Beer Garden, we wanted to provide our readers with an update.

Out of an abundance of caution and with the health of our Central Valley residents in mind, FresYes Fest 2020 has been postponed to Fall 2020. Partners of the event intend to have the majority of the plans and bookings carry over to the new date, TBA.

You can read Tioga Sequoia’s full post on their Facebook page here.

Image via Tioga Sequoia Brewery

For accurate and local Coronavirus/Covid19 information, you can visit the Fresno County Health Department’s update site here.

Thank you all for your enthusiasm, interest and support of this great event. We look forward to enjoying it with you later this year.

The FresYes Guide to Year-Round Farmers Markets

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Sarah Soghomonian
TV Producer and fan of all things fabulous.Bulldog Born, Bulldog Bred!
Latest posts by Sarah Soghomonian (see all)

If one of your goals for 2020 is to eat healthier, a great place to turn is a local farmers market. The Fresno area is full of them. In recent years many have begun to operate year-round. FresYes wants to make it easy for you to shop the local markets. Here’s your guide to what you’ll find when you go.

Farmer's Market in Fresno

Kaiser Permanente Fresno Farmers Market

When: Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Where: Fresno Medical Center, 7300 N. Fresno St.

Kaiser Permanente is encouraging patients and the community to eat healthy, by hosting a weekly farmers market in their parking lot.

“At Kaiser Permanente, we believe that eating more fruits and vegetables is part of good health,” said Meredith Murillo, Communications Manager for Kaiser Permanente Fresno. “That’s why we’ve opened a farmers market outside our medical center.”


The first Kaiser based farmers market started in 2003 in Oakland. The Fresno market opened two years later. More than 50 Kaiser Permanente locations now offer a farm market.

“There are many health benefits associated with eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains,” Murillo said. “A diet built around fresh, seasonal produce is the cornerstone of preventive medicine. And if you shop at a farmers market, you are more likely to cook, which is another key to good health.”

fresh produce for sale at a Farmers Market

In addition to fruits and vegetable vendors, shoppers will find eggs, honey, jams, nuts, whole-grain baked goods, ready-to-eat snacks, flowers, succulents and other items at the Kaiser Fresno market.


“There’s lots to see,” Murillo said. “We are grateful for the community support we receive for the market. We have many regular, weekly shoppers who support our local farmers and vendors. The community support has really fostered a communal, positive atmosphere.”

River Park Farmers Market

When: Tuesdays from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: Between Macys and Yard House

The River Park Farmers Market started in 1999, shortly after the shopping center opened. It’s exploded in size in recent years and includes food trucks and live entertainment.

Shoppers will find vendors selling one-of-a-kind items and products produced right here in the Central Valley. Organizers say more than 300 different varieties of fruits and vegetables are sold each year at their market.

John Hinkle, of Hinkle’s Honey, is a vendor at the River Park Farmers Market. Nine years ago he got interested in working with bees after a long career as a diesel mechanic. The beekeeper loves educating the people who stop by his booth.

Hinkle's Honey

“Some of the health benefits of honey is that there are nutrients from plants,” Hinkle says. “There are antibodies produced by the bee as the nectar is turned into honey, also there are pollens that are beneficial to the immune system and many other health benefits.”

Extracting the honey from the hive and bottling it, is hard work. “The response from the public is great,” Hinkle says. “They seem to enjoy learning about the facts about honey and we have a lot of returning customers that really love the taste and benefits.”

In addition to the River Park Farmers Market, Hinkle’s Honey can be found at the Valley Fresh Farmers Market at Valley Children’s Hospital on Fridays and at the Market on Kern, which takes place in downtown Fresno on Wednesdays from May through October.

Old Town Farmers Market

When: Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.
Where: Pollasky between Fifth Street and Bullard Avenue in Clovis

When you think of Old Town Clovis, many people think of the Friday night farmers market that takes place in the summer. A couple years back Clovis started hosting a year-round market, that’s much smaller in size.

Old Town Clovis Farmers Market

Ferrer Farm from Madera is one of the popular vendors you’ll find at the Saturday market. They have a wide variety to choose from. They sell lots of greens, such as kale, swiss chard, lettuce, cilantro and spinach. As well as broccoli, cauliflower, citrus, tomatoes, peppers, stone fruit and more.

leafy greens for sale

“We have been selling our product at the local farmers markets for about the last ten years,” said Tania Mitchum, of Ferrer Farm. “I love serving my Old Town people. They always make us feel loved and appreciated. Our customers are like family to us. We want to always provide them with the best quality and customer service possible because they sure deserve it.”

Mitchum’s parents Ignacio and Maria Ferrer own their family farm. She and her husband help run the markets and are proud of the work they do in the community. In addition to the Old Town Farmers Market, you can find them Tuesdays at River Park and Wednesdays at Kaiser.

The Vineyard Farmers Market

When: Wednesdays from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 7 a.m. to Noon
Where: 100 W. Shaw (Northwest corner of Blackstone and Shaw, behind Eyeglass World)

broccoli and onions for sale at a Farmers Market in Clovis

In order to be a vendor at The Vineyard Farmers Market, you have to be local and you must agree to a farm tour inspection. That’s because quality and safety is of the utmost importance.

Tristan Pursell and his family are regular shoppers. “Love me some Vineyard,” he says. “I go a few times per month. Kids love it. The fresh fruits are always great to buy. I love that they have a local coffee vendor and pastry vendor.”

Flo Cheung Jones has been visiting The Vineyard Farmers Market for the past 14 years. “I love the Asian stands,” she said. “There is a stand where the mother and her daughter have run for years, selling snow pea shoots. I love the varieties of carrots, beets, radishes.”

Manchester Center Farmers Market

When: Fridays from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Where: Blackstone and Shields Avenues

This market is a favorite for folks that work at the offices in and around Manchester Center.

Fresh Berries for sale at a Farmers Market

In addition to selling fruits and veggies, there are lots of lunchtime options. Many of the food vendors specialize in Mexican dishes, including seafood, fruit cups and refreshing aguas frescas.