Fresh fruits and veggies, international snacks and great food at the Original Farmers Market. Photo: brad.coy via Flickr Creative Commons

Farmers’ markets bring fresh, local and often organic produce to communities across L.A. County. They’re also a great place to find fun food vendors and best of all, it’s free if you just want to wander around and browse. Many of them are within reach by Metro, and here are a few recommendations.

• Santa Monica hosts a few farmers’ markets throughout the week. The one on Saturday takes place on Arizona Avenue at 3rd Street from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Metro Rapid 704,720 or Big Blue Bus 1, 4, 10 to Santa Monica/3rd)
• Culver City hosts a farmers’ market on Main Street between Venice and Culver every Tuesday from 3 – 7 p.m. (Metro Rapid 733 to Venice/Bagley, Metro Expo Line to Culver City Station, Culver City Bus 1 to Culver/Main)
• Long Beach hosts a farmers’ market on 1st Street between Elm and Linden every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Metro Blue Line to 1st Street Station, Long Beach Transit 151 to Elm/1st)
• The Hollywood Farmers’ Market takes place on Ivar Avenue between Hollywood and Sunset every Sunday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Metro Red Line to Hollywood/Vine Station)
• There’s a farmers’ market in Larchmont Village on Larchmont Boulevard between Beverly and 1st Street every Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Metro Bus 14/37 to Beverly/Larchmont)
• Century City hosts a farmers’ market where Avenue of the Stars meets Santa Monica Boulevard every Thursday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Metro Rapid 728 to Ave. of Stars/Santa Monica)
• There’s a farmers’ market at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Metro Bus 105 or Metro Rapid 710 to Martin Luther King Jr./Crenshaw)
• The Watts Healthy Farmers’ Market takes place at Ted Watkins Park every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Metro Bus 53 to 103rd/Central, Metro Blue Line to 103rd Street Station)
• South Pasadena hosts a farmers’ market on Meridian Avenue at El Centro every Thursday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. (Metro Gold Line to South Pasadena Station)
• The East L.A. Farmers’ Market takes place at Belvedere Park every Thursday from 2 – 8 p.m. (Metro Gold Line to East L.A. Civic Center Station)
• DTLA hosts a a few farmers’ markets throughout the week. My personal picks are the Grand Park Farmers’ Market, every Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Metro Red/Purple Line to Civic Center Station), and the one at Figat7th, every Thursday from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. (Metro Blue/Expo/Red/Purple Line to 7th/Metro Station)
• Last but definitely not least, the Original Farmers Market at 3rd and Fairfax is open 7 days a week. (Metro Rapid 780, Bus 217, 16 to Fairfax/3rd)

Recommend any that I may have missed in the comments. And make sure to bring your reusable tote bags when shopping, it will make getting all those groceries home a lot easier.