McCarthy Farmer's Market

USC did a great thing this year: they brought a farmer's market to campus! Every Wednesday from 11-2, local vendors come to sell their products to students. I. Love. It. 

Across all of McCarthy Quad, the farmer's market offers all sorts of delicious foods. From "the bomb-diggity.com" hummus vendor, to kale, to fresh bread, to veggie chips, to a tamale stand, it has pretty much anything you could need for a week. It's very easy to get to know the friendly vendors on a personal level if you go every week, as I do to the Root Vegetable Chip stand... 

Almost everyone, if not everyone, gives out free samples so you can try their products before you buy. 

One thing to note, however, is that many of these vendors only take cash. Since the beginning of the year, a large number of them have invested in Square, the little white card scanner you can use with your phone, and that's been great for college students. They are all very friendly though, and at the beginning of the year when I had no cash, one of the fruit vendors let me take home a bag of grapes, telling me not to worry about it and pay them next time. I've been going back there since then -- that's what I mean when I say they're friendly!

One of my favorite vendors happens to be the nut and dried fruit vendor on the side closest to VKC and Leavey. I've basically fallen in love with his coconut almonds (I wish I had a picture but I eat them too quickly) and go back as often as I can for his 3-bags-for-$10 deal. 

If you have class for the rest of the day or don't want to carry around a loaf of bread with you, there's always just the lunch options. This station just sells boba, for $4 and you can mix as many of the flavors as you like! They taste very natural and you have the option of getting either the fruit drinks or milk/other tea if you prefer. Also, there are stands along the side by the Leavey fountain that just sell ready-made lunch. Some of the options are tamales, papusas, sausages, popcorn, and falafel. I haven't gotten any of these so I'm not sure where they stand on taking credit cards. But, nonetheless, I recommend that everyone check it out, and if nothing else, get some free samples!