Granny’s Brood in Calabasas

At Saturday’s Calabasas farmers market, Buckhorn Canyon Ranch of Fillmore featured Okitsu satsumas, a type of mandarin orange that’s smaller, later in season and tangier than the familiar Owari satsuma. The stand also carried unusual raspberry flower honey, with aromatic hints of its parent nectar.

Among Central Valley growers, Ryan Fife displayed Marsh grapefruit on one side, pink-fleshed Chandler pummelos on another, and sweet, juicy Oroblancos and Melogolds (grapefruit-pummelo hybrids) in the middle. Gene Etheridge, who works as a high school principal when he’s not growing fruit, had navel oranges, bright red-orange Minneola tangelos and tasty English walnuts from a 100-year-old tree. Betty Kennedy of Dinuba sold less common black walnuts, which have a rich, distinctive flavor that stands up better to cooking. Her several dozen offerings of premium dried fruit included unsulfured, thinly sliced peaches, apricots and Asian pears, and sulfured cherries, figs and white nectarines. Charles Xiong of Fresno had baby bok choy with yellow flowers, broccoli raab, and gai choy, Chinese mustard greens, for soup, pickling or steaming.

Kenter Canyon Farms of Agoura Hills sold pre-washed salad greens, including arugula, baby spinach and red chard leaves; pristine fresh herbs, such as chives, chervil and dill; and attractive frisee with pale hearts. From nearby Chatsworth, Bill Vellone and his mother, Lilian, displayed organic elephant garlic, butternut squash and large Purple Top White Globe turnips--an old mild-flavored variety, resembling rutabaga. For a lesson in Australian apple genealogy, Sherrill Orchards of Arvin had Granny Smith and her daughter Lady Williams; a few feet away, Randy Pudwill of Nipomo sold the superbly crisp, sweet-tart Pink Lady (Lady Williams crossed with Golden Delicious), which keeps its crunch long after other apples have turned mushy.

Calabasas farmers market, 23504 Calabasas Road at El Canon Avenue, Saturdays, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.