Visiting Veggies : Growers from outside the county haul in peas, asparagus, <i> nopales </i> and other non-local crops.

While much of the produce offered at area farmers’ markets is locally grown, it’s not uncommon for out-of-county growers to drive long distances to attend these popular produce bazaars.

Visiting growers help to make Ventura County’s outdoor-market scene diverse and lively by trucking in fresh produce that is not grown locally. We spoke to a few out-of-county growers recently at Ventura’s Saturday farmers’ market.

Nichols Farming, with growing areas in Santa Maria and Arroyo Grande, has built a loyal following over the last eight years by offering 11 differing varieties of peas at area markets.

“They know us as the sugar snap pea people,” said Marjorie Emerson, who helps mind the Nichols Farming stall. “Those are without a doubt our most popular item here.”

Those who regularly attend the Saturday (Ventura) and Wednesday (Thousand Oaks) installments of the Ventura County Certified Farmers’ Market have come to rely on Nichols’ pea selection, said Emerson. “We have a lot of repeat customers. They come looking for us specifically because we’re one of the only ones that have an assortment of peas year-round.”

Emerson, an Oak View resident, was a frequent customer of Nichols Farming produce before she was hired to help out with the stand on Saturdays. But it’s Carlos Chavez who drives in from Arroyo Grande twice weekly with a truckload of fresh pea pods and other assorted goodies.

Enthusiasts are always assured of a fresh batch, he said, because the peas are hand-picked the afternoon before going to market. “We’ll usually carry about three to five varieties at the stand throughout the year,” Chavez said.

The popular sugar snap pea is noted for its sweetness and crispy texture, he said. Its shell--anywhere from two to five inches long, depending on the strain--encases a number of tightly packed, plump morsels and is usually enjoyed whole.

During our market visit, a group of shoppers were busy buying bags full of the sugar snap peas. “You can count on them always being fresh,” said customer Karen Shaw of Ventura. “As far as cooking with them, I like to lightly steam or use them for stir-frying.”

“You really can use them for anything,” said Josephine Bartles of Ojai. She suggested adding the sugar snaps to soups, stews and salads. “If you cook with them,” Bartles warned, “you have to remember not to overcook. That’s the big key.”

According to Dyane Landis of Ojai, they are best when eaten raw. “My 2-year-old loves them better than candy,” she said. Emerson agreed. “A lot of people snack on them like they would sunflower seeds or peanuts,” Emerson said. “Except these are better because there’s no shells to deal with; no mess. Just pop ‘em in your mouth whole.”

Sugar snap peas are going for $2 a pound. The Nichols Farming stand is now selling English shelling peas ($1.50) and snow peas ($2). Incidentally, all their peas are free of pesticides.

While most growers attending the farmers’ markets offer an assortment of items, Kay Green specializes in just one--asparagus. This slender-stalked vegetable isn’t grown commercially in Ventura County. But at the Saturday (Ventura) and Wednesday (Thousand Oaks) markets, Green hauls in a fresh selection from her C&G; Farms in Lompoc.

“Our asparagus season starts about January and continues through July,” she said during a recent chat. Currently her asparagus goes for two bunches for $3. Each bunch has about seven stalks.

What’s the easiest way to prepare asparagus?

Green offered this suggestion: Take smallish, slender stalks and lay them side-by-side in a shallow glass baking dish. Pour boiling water over asparagus and cover tightly with plastic wrap to seal in steam and heat. Let sit for about 15 to 20 minutes. “This will leave the stalks firm and prevents overcooking, plus you don’t have to watch over it,” she said. “That’s especially convenient when you have other things going. All my customers thank me for this tip after they try it.”

Caution: This cooking suggestion only works with the more slender stalks.

Customer Judy Parnes of Studio City had a tip for dealing with thicker-stalked asparagus. She recommends stripping off the fibrous outer skin. “I use a carrot peeler,” she said. “Starting at about the middle, just peel off the last half of the skin.”

Parnes suggests steaming asparagus for eight to 10 minutes. “Turn off the heat and remove the lid immediately or it will continue to cook,” she said. “You don’t want to make it mushy.”

Her husband, Chuck Parnes, prefers the extra-slender baby asparagus eaten raw and enjoyed with dips. “A real simple dip is to mix mayonnaise with lemon juice,” he said.

Tibor Rozsa decided after purchasing his small ranch that a little tidying up was in order. “I had all this cactus growing along a fence that I wanted to get rid of,” he said. “I asked somebody if they would rip it out with the help of their tractor.”

Rozsa quickly changed his mind.

“Pretty soon I had people pulling off the road asking me if they could buy some of it.” The Hungarian immigrant learned there was money to be made from the prickly vegetation.

Nowadays when he and his wife, Julianna, travel down from Exeter--located in the San Joaquin Valley below Fresno--bright green cacti pads accompany their assorted vegetables.

Commonly used in Spanish cuisine, the Rozsas are offering their nopales for $1 per pound. An informal taste test found the moist, tender flesh to be much like a fresh green bell pepper.

“It can be diced and fried with garlic and onions and then added to scrambled eggs,” said Julianna Rozsa. “And over the top of that, you pour chili salsa.”

It can also be used in soups or shredded and fried much like hash browns. The thorns can easily be removed by simply slicing them off. The rest of the skin can be eaten, Tibor said.

The Rozsas attend the Thousand Oaks, Oxnard and Ventura markets. They offer an assortment of veggies including the slender “Hungarian parsley root,” which is similar to a parsnip.

LOCALLY GROWNA SAMPLING

Ventura County Certified Farmers Market:

* Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Montgomery Ward parking lot at Main Street and Mills Road, Ventura

* Thursdays, 5 to 8 p.m.; Janss Mall at Hillcrest Drive and Moorpark Road, Thousand Oaks.

* Saturdays, 8:30 a.m. to noon; Santa Clara and California streets, Ventura.

Oxnard Downtown Certified Farmers Market:

* Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; 7th and B streets, Oxnard.

Camarillo Certified Farmers Market:

* Saturdays, 8 a.m. to noon, parking lot at the Senior Nutrition Center, 2220 Ventura Blvd., Camarillo.

Ojai Certified Farmers Market:

* Sundays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; 236 W. Ojai Ave. (located between the Antique Collection and Ojai Frostie), Ojai.