Hilo Farmers Market

Although I live in Madison, Wisconsin where we have many superb farmer's markets and the biggest producer based one I love the Hilo's Farmer's Market -- it is far more colorful and varied. Official days are Wednesdays and Saturdays but vendors are there 7 days a week. My favorite items to buy to consume or bring back to the mainland are fern shoots, Hawaiian ohia flower honey, kulolo (Hawaiian pudding) and Peruvian tamales. Some other "exotics" are fresh poi, fish, and Filipino pastries. Locally grown tomatoes, salad greens, eggplant, beans, cabbage -- the "usual" farmer's market fare -- as well as Asian veg Okinawan sweet potatoes (the purple/blue type), won bok, bok choy, kai choy. Fruits include papayas, bananas, avocadoes, breadfruit, coconuts, dragon fruit, mangoes, lychees, long gang, tangerines. Cut flowers abound as do potted anthuriums and orchids. Hilo being mostly wet and rainy you go there with serious intent to buy not to eyeball, so vendors will bargain with you too! It's fun. I visit Hilo twice a year and never miss a market when I'm there,