The market was hopping today since so many of us have been missing it and were clearly chomping at the bit to get back to shopping for veggies on Grand View Blvd.

The organic strawberries at JR Organics were indeed very sweet (and did you know you Mar Vista is one of their CSA Pick-Up locations?), the Bok Choy was looking good, the Pomelos are enormous, and the avocados are perfect.

Sustainable Works was in the Green Booth promoting their upcoming Free Green Living Workshops, so check them out.

The Arts & Craft Collective is selling and will be for the rest of the month – just in time for Holiday Gifting.

Artwear by Birgitta

Quilts From The Heart

Pam Goldwasser with Cane Expressions

Refyll is now set up and selling their Green cleaning products.

Refyll selling Green Cleaning products in reusable containers

Marilyn Donadt was performing.

Marilyn Donadt performing

Susan Holtz, of Baking & Cake Art Academy was on hand making an adorable Santa cake.

Susan Holtz of Baking & Cake Art Academy

Santa Cake!

And EnerGTech was in back in the Green Booth talking about energy conservation.

EnerGTech

Come join the Committee that brought you the Mar Vista Green Garden Tour three years running, as well as the Wise Water Expo and the Wise Power Expo. Agenda items include: the Urban Beekeeping Study, possible letter of support for the Fair Farm Bill, planning of 2012 Green Garden Tour and much more. See the full agenda here.

James Brennan and John Ayers from Open Neighborhoods were on hand in the Green Booth talking about their current Community Solar project! DWP has reinstated the solar rebate program so now’s the time to go with the Sun’s Power!

As you may recall, I got my own solar panels through Open Neighborhood’s first Community Solar project 2 years ago and I am very pleased with mine. My panels are from Solar City and if you’d like more information, please let me know. Or feel free to click though on the Solar City button on the right side of the website.

And both the Market and the Green Committee wanted me to remind everyone in Mar Vista that the Ban on Plastic Bags at the Mar Vista Farmer’s Market goes into effect September 1st! Get ready, people!

I caught a glimpse of Mar Vista’s own City Councilperson, Bill Rosendahl, chatting with a constituent.

The summer veggies are in full gorgeousness.

And Strawberries are still delightful.

I recently met with representatives from the California Strawberry Commission, including A. G. Kawamura, who grows the little red gems down in Irvine. He and David Grotto, RD, LDN, author of 101 Optimal Life Foods, shared plenty of info with us about the health benefits of strawberries. Like, for example, did you know that strawberries contain vitamin C, folate, potassium and polyphenols? They do.

But they didn’t have to get all science-y on me; I love strawberries and will happily eat them served any way.

The Strawberry Commission graciously gave me a copy of their Strawberry Recipes for Everyday cookbook to try out – and another to giveaway to one lucky reader. So let the strawberry-eating and contest-entering begin!

If you would like a chance at winning the book, please leave a comment on this post on MarVistaMom.com by Friday, August 26th at 12 Noon PST, at which point a winner will be chosen at random. Winner must live within the US or be able to receive shipping within the US; No International Shipping.

UPDATE: The contest is over and the winner has been notified. Thanks!

Today was a big apple day at the Market: Gravensteins were here for one day only! Did you read about Walker Farm in the LA Times last week?

Also, have you tried Skylake Ranch’s Pomegranate products? This is Chris Brown, Operations Manager, with a couple of the things they make. I tried the fruit spread he gave me and it’s very nice; not too sweet and with a little sour bite. Just my speed. They have syrup and salad dressing I’d like to try as well.

And the Green Booth did double duty today: One side had Sustainable Works, which will be running workshops in LA starting this fall (check out the MVCC Green Committee’s website for all the details)

- and the other side had Alivia Hunter and Lillian Gardner from LA Costume Swap, who were there to promote the Big Costume Swap Day on October 9th, 2011! Save the Date! The Farmer’s Market will be overrun with “Green” Halloween Costumes! Green-O-Ween!

Oh, and I understand there’s some sort of sporting event on Sunday as well.