First Prize Winner in the under 18 category:

What the Farmer's Market Means to Me, my Family, and my Community

by Cooper Ogden, Age 9, Walnut Creek

The Farmers' Market is important to me because I can get natural fruit there. The Farmers' Market is fun to me because I get to ride my bike there and get good exercise.

I like talking to the vendors like Bakesale Betty and Michael, Bridget the Cookie Lady, Michelle the Apple Lady, the Hamada Farms guys, and Jim the Orange Guy. I also like talking to Hunter Holding, the Meat Guy. Bob, the Knife-Sharpening guy, is also nice.

I like buying things from the Chicken Teriyaki Guy and the Tamale People.

Some things I like getting from the Farmers' Market:
peaches, apple juice, baked goods, meat, Brazilian cheese bread, blueberries, and banana bread from Bakesale Betty.

Sometimes I see my friends from school there. We liked the empanada people and wonder where they've gone.

I enjoy the Farmers' Market every week.

2nd Prize winner in the Adult Category:

What the Farmer's Market Means to Me, my Family, and my Community

by Alicia Rozum, Oakland

Organic? Locally grown? Sustainable? Huh?

The aforementioned queries are general responses from some unenlightened folks back in Youngstown, Ohio (or any economically-depressed, yet consumer-crazed Midwestern town) when I talk about my love of my local farmer's market. See, I'm from that faltering community, and I feel it's my designated duty as "the-one-who-got-out" to share my California ideals and progressiveness with uninformed friends, relatives, grocery-store clerks, waiters/waitresses, etc. who are still stuck there. The idea that one consumes fruits and vegetables that were grown in the United States, much less within a 100 mile radius, is completely foreign. Or so I thought.

If the last paragraph sounded a little elitist (a common affliction of Midwest-to-West Coast "transplants", partially induced by the trauma of leaving ones' immediate family and most important people in their life), don't worry, I've experienced a breakthrough. People in the Midwest (and south, and east coast, and even in Texas) actually know what Farmer's Markets are and would go to them, if available! This was a shocking revelation made to me on a recent trip to Madison, Wisconsin, where I had the pleasure (and somewhat chagrin) of visiting the largest and busiest Farmer's Market in the country. Anyway, I suddenly began to remember my roots (pun intended) in home-grown and local produce — the giant garden in our acre-sized backyard, in which my dad grew everything from corn to pumpkins; my grandfather canning hundreds of bottles of incredibly hot and tasty home-grown peppers; trips to White House Apple Farm in the fall for pick-yer-own Macintosh and press-yer-own cider; and even a rather painful memory of my father traveling to a local pig farm to have one slaughtered for our annual pig roast. So, okay, I wasn't the first and my "personal awakening"in the sunshine state is probably possible in places where it actually rains in the summer, too...

While it's probably true that a lot of communities in the Midwest aren't tuned into the organic, locally-grown, and sustainable eco-life, it's also true that "if you build it, they will come". If there was a market in Youngstown, I'm certain my grandparents (and practically everyone in their generation) would flock to it, not only to have produce that tastes how they remember it should, but also to have a safe and friendly community gathering place.  And, oh, how Youngstown schools would benefit from a gardening program, or from a cafeteria that doesn't put French fries on top of iceberg lettuce and call it a salad! I can already envision my mom and aunt combining their weekly "tomato and cucumber"overload to sell at a stand, maybe even throwing in a few garage sale items to keep things interesting. In other words, the market would take off, if only there was the economic, business, and political motivation to support it.

So why do I appreciate, no, adore, my local farmer's market? For all the reasons everyone else shops there—unbelievably fresh food, connection to community, a reason to get my a** out of bed on Sunday mornings — but mostly because my exposure to California Farmer's Markets have reawakened my childhood memories of those values. My family has always participated in the creation and consumption of sustainable food; always maintained a close network of friends and relatives connected through the preparation and sharing of meals; and always taught me that these things are a part of our familial culture — and that someday, I will be responsible for teaching the next generation the meaning of our values. I'll be happy to take on the task — when I walk my future children through our local farmer's market, I'll be sure to point out the gypsy peppers and say, "You know, your great-grandfather used to make people's eyes water, his garden peppers were so hot!".

3rd Prize winner in the Adult Category:

What the Farmer's Market Means to Me, my Family, and my Community

by Pauline Hartman Walnut Creek

I love to wake up on a Sunday morning and look out of my window and see what the weather is going to be like today. Sometimes the sky is a lovely blue with white fluffy clouds, sometimes a fog down to the ground, sometimes a heavy rain with wind, but no matter what the weather, I know that the Farmer's Market in Walnut Creek is waiting for me.

My husband and I drive down to the library parking lot drop off some books and, with our canvas bags, we wander around the stalls looking for the best and the brightest. The smell of coffee, the tamales steaming, the peaches and strawberries and the wonderful ethnic breads and muffins, the colorful and affordable flowers, the colors of the different varieties of tomatoes and mushrooms from huge portobellos to tiny white buttons, the so sweet fresh beetroots and sweet radishes, and just about every vegetable that you could put in a salad, the many sized potatoes, citrus fruits, too many things to remember to list.

We have gotten to know the people at the stalls and get a bright, cherry grin and hello as they recognize us. What a huge selection of food to pick from to last us for the week. There is something different every week, sometimes cooked chicken, barbecue sausages, salmon and crab. Everything is so fresh, picked early this morning or last night. Best corn in town! I see something that I have never had before, and the person behind the scale, cuts a piece and offers it to me with instructions on how to cook it.

Good for the town of Walnut Creek also, as people come from other communities to join us with strollers of bright babies, who love to be coo'd at and young children, sampling wedges of apples and other fruits or vegetables. They take their time going home and stroll down the streets and visit the stores and the many ethnic restaurants downtown.

The best part of the market is making a dinner for friends, who exclaim over the freshness of the food and I can proudly say, "I bought it at the Farmer's Market.