Some people prefer deals on Museums while on vacation. Some like Broadway shows. While some make a beeline for those awesome rides. But what about the food lovers? Where do they go?

You don’t think of Orange County, California as an agricultural area, but at one time it was a leader in the production of agricultural commodities, especially citrus crops. Now of course, visitors seek out Orange County tourist attractions instead of looking at the neatly arranged rows of orange trees.

Some California tourism guides offer foodies access to lists of the places where you can see – or buy – some of the wonderful products from California, especially fruits, nuts and vegetables. (California produces over half of all fruits, nuts and vegetables grown in the continental USA.)

It’s true that Orange County is no longer among the top ten California counties in terms of cash value of agricultural exports –- all those counties are in the Central Valley — but locally grown organic produce is much more prevalent than you might expect.

The reason it is such a surprise is that the areas along the coast are now densely populated. Ever since Disneyland was carved out of an orange grove and when Garden Grove was, well, known for its gardens, the population pressures on Orange County have pushed the actual farmland further inland.  But they didn’t extinguish the robust farming community that existed.

Happily, there are “locally grown” produce and citrus farms still left, and even a few dairy operations. You can buy their output at farmers’ markets throughout the county.

Certified farmer’s markets in Orange County – all locations open 9 AM – 1 PM unless otherwise noted (rain or shine) are listed here:

  • Tuesday – Irvine; Historic Park at the Irvine Ranch
  • Wednesday – Tustin; Corner of El Camino Real and 3rd Street
  • Thursday – Costa Mesa; Orange County Fairgrounds, 88 Fair Drive
  • Thursday – Orange; The Village at Orange
  • Friday – Laguna Hills; Laguna Hills Mall Parking Lot
  • Friday – Huntington Beach; Pier Plaza, Main Street & Pacific Coast Highway
  • Saturday – Laguna Beach; Lumberyard Parking Lot next to the City Hall; 8 a.m. – Noon (rain or shine)
  • Saturday – Irvine; Irvine Center on the corner of Bridge and Campus (across from UCI)
  • Sunday – Laguna Niguel; Plaza De La Paz Shopping Center on the Corner of La Paz and Pacific Park
  • Sunday – Irvine; The Great Park in Irvine, Marine Way off Sand Canyon. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (rain or shine)

So, enjoy your tourist days in Orange Country, and be sure to enjoy the locally grown food, as well.

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