This week, I paid $20 for a dozen eggs this week.
asserted
I → pay → eggs
And somehow, I walked away feeling pretty good about it.
asserted
I → walk → it
Welcome to the Santa Monica Farmers Market, where I headed Wednesday morning, as usual, for my fresh produce.
asserted
I → welcome → produce
Start your day with all you need to know
Morning Report delivers the latest news, videos, photos and more.
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Report → start → news
I know, I know.
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I → know → ?
Shopping this way comes at a price.
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Shopping → shop → price
The cost of my pasture-raised eggs was more than three times the $5.99 price of a comparable dozen at Trader Joe’s.
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cost → raise → Joe
And Amazon has pasture-raised eggs for just $3.79.
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Amazon → have → 3.79
And my supermarket would charge around $4 to $6 for the microgreens I bought — meaning I paid three times as much.
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I → charge → much
But that’s part of the trade-off.
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that → ’ → off
At the farmers market, I’m paying a premium to buy directly from the people who produce the food — and to ask them exactly how it was grown or raised.
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it → pay → them
It’s a luxury, but it feels like a necessity.
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it → ’ → necessity
Not every stand is certified organic, but several vendors told me they don’t use pesticides on their produce.
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they → certify → produce
That’s important to me, and to a lot of other people who might otherwise be paying less.
uncertain
who → ’ → less
There are also pasture-raised meats at the market, some sold fresh rather than frozen.
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some → be → market
Then there are the relationships you build.
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you → be → ?
Shoppers see the same farmers week after week, getting to know them — and picking up tips about everything from growing practices to recipes for dinner.
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Shoppers → see → dinner
I try to get there early, when the chefs are shopping.
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chefs → try → ?
I find that a little strategic eavesdropping can pay off.
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eavesdropping → find → ?
You inevitably overhear tips about ingenious ways of using whatever is freshest that morning.
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whatever → overhear → ways
I’m lucky enough to live just a few blocks from the market, so I know my favorites.
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I → ’m → favorites
The biggest bottle of truffle olive oil costs $75 — and, to me, it is worth every penny.
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it → cost → me
I put it on almost everything.
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I → put → everything
They’re $20 a dozen, from Apricot Lane Farms, the Moorpark farm featured in the award-winning documentary “The Biggest Little Farm.”
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They → ’re → documentary
Even opening the carton is an experience.
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opening → open → carton
The multicolored eggs are arranged so that no two of the same color sit next to each other.
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two → arrange → other
I was told the chickens are moved to fresh pasture every few days, giving them a more varied diet.
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chickens → tell → diet
Suddenly, $20 for a dozen eggs doesn’t seem quite so outrageous — especially when I can stretch them across several meals
You can also pick up half a dozen duck eggs for $10.
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You → seem → 10
In the summertime, I’ve seen people lining up as early as 6 a.m. for prized peaches — two hours before the market officially opens at 8.
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market → see → 8
I have yet to taste them because I never have time to wait for that long, that early.
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I → have → time
Maybe next season I’ll finally join the line.
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I → join → line
Unlike some other farmers markets, where you might browse jewelry, candles or prepared food, the Wednesday Santa Monica market feels much more focused on what you came for: ingredients.
uncertain
you → browse → ingredients
And after walking home with $20 eggs, an $8 avocado, $15 microgreens, $8 tortillas and $15 worth of miniature bananas and pineapple guavas, I had everything I needed for one extremely expensive, and incredible, Santa Monica breakfast burrito.
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I → walk → burrito
Liz Angeles is a massage therapist who runs the top-rated Just What You Knead in Santa Monica.
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You → run → Monica
The Aporia
