Marshalls Fenway Farmstand

I love the apples here. They have this great display with really fresh apples, and a display describing the taste and best uses for them (like a high end wine store). Sure its in an old garage bay, but the staff is always friendly and helpful and they keep is super clean. You’ll find me here just about every week grabbing snacks for my desk. I can’t believe I’ve been working in the area since August and only just started coming here in October!

I wanted to like this place so much! I went in on a Saturday and wanted to check out the produce since that seems to be their thing.
I. guess? I really wasn’t that impressed. Ditto on the packaged, freezer stuff they had. And the staff (I guess?) was just milling about near the register and no one said a word to me (I was the only customer in the store) for ten minutes until I was ready to leave without buying anything and THEN they wanted to talk to me. Lame.

Great little affordable farmstand with a good selection of excellent fruits and veggies. They also have a variety of gourmet meals and cooking products as well. Great find if you’re in the Fenway area but I wouldn’t go out of my way to get there.

I am so irritated. I got the CSA from this place without doing adequate research. Turns out all CSA’s are not created equal. I spent over $ 300 to be obligated to pick up a skimpy bag of vegetables from this place every week.
It’s like joining Columbia House! Remember that ripoff company that mailed you CD’s every month and charged you unless you wrote them asking them not to? Every month I’d feel ripped off when I’d get a Cindarella or Dangerous Toys CD in the mail when I only signed up to get all the Metallica albums for 12 cents!
Details:
1. The stuff is NOT ALWAYS LOCAL OR ORGANIC! WHAT? HOW DUMB WAS I TO GET INVOLVED WITH THIS THING? I could get 3 bags of veggies at Market Basket for this price, or one at Whole Foods. I could at least pick what is conventionally grown and what isn’t.
2. My squashes were WAY too small yesterday. I asked if they weighed the produce before giving it to me, and it turns out that they don’t. It’s just «random,» but it «helps to get there earlier in the day.» Dah! I work 9 – 5 so I can’t make it there until later in the day sometimes. Meanwhile some independently wealthy guy who owns a condo in Fenway strolls in at 9 and helps himself to the most prime materials.
I was told by the person working there that I could just exchange my squash for a larger squash from the «trade bin.» Well, that’s no good, because all the squash in the bin has been discarded by others in the first place. It’s trading schwag for schwag!
3. I have to wait like 5 minutes for the people who are on the counter to go get my stuff. It wouldn’t be a big deal if I weren’t obligated to go to this place every week, but the annoying parking PLUS the waiting really adds up. If I were waiting for amazing produce, it’d be different. Waiting at places usually doesn’t bother me. I just have this constant feeling that I’m getting totally ripped off on every level here.
4. People from the gym next door run and exercise in the parking lot. It makes parking totally annoying. You gotta dodge those training athletes! Does Marshall’s care about its customers? It should stick up for itself! don’t be bullied by those toughguys! Does the gym care that it’s toughguys are going to get run over by people who are making a right from Boylston?
I really feel that there are good CSA’s out there and that this one is just taking the idea of a CSA and making it into something marketable while ripping off the consumer.
I wouldn’t mind going through any number of hassles to get good portions of fresh, local, organic vegetables. Oh, there are no strawberries this week because of the locust plague? Fine! I’ll take pickled tomatoes from last season, Farmer Johnson. You are helping me, and I’ll help you. Maybe next week, you’ll give me a fat bag of green beans for being such a good sport. How’s junior, by the way? Still in 4H?
See, I’m supporting the Community! I’m not a jerk!
This place — i can’t tolerate it. This is the Columbia House of produce! Beware!
(Honestly, I thought Marshall’s did much better when they stuck to off price consumer goods. TJ Max buys them up, then they try to sneak into the produce business? What? *joke*)

Whaaaaaaat? I haven’t reviewed the farmstand yet?
I love this place. It’s conveniently (and dangerously) on my way home since the recent move. Case in point: the other day I was heading home and realized I wanted pizza. I knew I had yeast, flour, and sauce but my lack of toppings prevented the pizza making. By the time I walked from the Fenway stop to the farmstand, the craving was too strong. I casually strolled in and pretend to peruse. I end up with a bag of fresh basil, onions to caramelize, tomatoes to roast, a HUGE fresh mozz ball, garlic, and a few of my regular items. Total = $ 24. YESSSSSS, please.
If you’re a hummus fan, you need to try «Samira’s». Seriously. Go in, head straight to the fridge, grab some, and then call me because I’d love to finish it with you. I have friends who HATE hummus and will now eat this with me. I buy it at least once I week.
I also recently bought a salsa there that I love. It just so happen to go perfectly with the tortilla strips I also bought.
There’s so much more there that I’m yet to try. Trust me, I will be back for the frozen dinners, desserts, farm fresh milk, etc. Yay for supporting the local guys!
Side note: they do a CSA that you can pick up right there! I wish I had known before, but you can be sure that I will do it next year.

I love this place. In fact, I rarely if ever shop at Shaw’s any more. Whenever I buy fresh produce, I come here. They also have Batch Ice Cream, which is some of the most insanely delicious ice cream I have ever tasted. (Cinnamon & Chocolate Bits is almost like fried ice cream, Salted Caramel kicks anything dulce la leche’s butt)
What do I buy a lot of here? MILK. Have you ever had REAL farm-​fresh milk in a glass bottle? You’ll be hooked. Its worth the extra buck or two, which is mostly in the form of the deposit you pay on the bottle. Just bring your bottles back. Since buying my milk at Marshall’s, I find it difficult to pick up the regular old plastic jug when necessary.
I try and buy local whenever possible so this is a great addition to the Fenway neighborhood, especially with much of the other development that’s gone on in recent years. I don’t always get the chance to hit various area farmers’ markets because of work or location, et al, so this place is perfect. The staff is pretty cool. If you get a chance to meet the owner, he is also very friendly and seems to genuinely enjoy chatting with his customers.
Prices aren’t insane. You can now also purchase day-​old bread and there’s a decent variety of already-​prepared foods for quick dinners and lunches. Also recommend perusing the selection of salsas.

I work around the area… so convenience. I also am a fan of Organic Produce.
This place gives you a good variety off fresh fruit and veggies. Everytime I go there they are fresh. They are not as pricy as Wholefood but similar to Trader Joes.
Pros
Not too pricy
Produce are from local farmers
Friendly Staff
Cons
It’s a small place so don’t expect a hug variety
It’s really cold inside the store during the winter
They don’t sell any organic fresh meat but they sell prepackaged meat.

After passing Marshall’s FF I was optimistic about the prospect of having a responsible and health conscious food market in the Fenway area. Upon having ventured inside, however, I learned that some fundamental flaws may be keeping them from assured success. On a relatively normal Saturday afternoon I stood perplexed seeing that most of the shelves were bare, as if to say «Produce? Come back in the summer». Now I’m not naïve and expect to find tomatoes, watermelon, corn, and berries lining the aisles at this time of year, but I mean you’ve really got to stock some things that are in season if you’re going to source locally. Shelves should never be empty, unless a natural disaster is imminent.
The small amount of proteins stocked are from reliable producers, Hardwick beef especially, however this too falls short. I was slightly disappointed at how little of this was offered, which puzzles me beyond a reasonable doubt as to what they are attempting to do with this space.
Hopefully, it was just an off day or I came here before a rather large delivery.

They have a good selection of fruit and vegetables, always fresh.

I expected just a little bit more of MFF when I stopped in.
I thought it would be a little bit cooler of a hole in the wall type shop than it turned out to be.
In my opinion, MFF was like a condensed Whole Foods or Trader Joes. The items were more or less the same, slightly more expensive (due to small size) with a splash here and there of actually locally-​sourced product. There were a few things in the fridge section that were from local farms and companies. There was some selection in the produce from local farms. But a lot of it was the same as what you’d buy next door at Shaw’s (for cheaper) and the produce quality was poor (more dents, dings and bruises).
I wasn’t blown away, however, considering the closest organic/​local product friendly shop is Whole Foods next to Mass Ave or Trader Joes on Boylston, this will do in a pinch for those Fenway foodies who can’t make it just a little further to reap in the organic goods elsewhere.
MFF does bring a greater sense of community into the Fenway area; something it may have been lacking for the last few years. With all the recent development, I think the area is really going to be taking off as one of the next «cool spots» to live — too bad we moved away last year.
One huge plus — on site free parking. HUGE. Try to find THAT at Trader Joes or Whole Foods!
All in all, I wouldn’t be making any special trips to MFF unless I still lived a block away.
**I must add, this review is based off a visit shortly after MFF had opened, over a year ago. It is quite possible that they’ve changed or improved their selection over the year, so I may just stop in myself to validate that next time I’m around!**

Very happy. Grew up around farm stands then moved to the city. Starting to have withdrawals from fresh produce! Hehe.
I walked past this place I don’t how many times and didn’t notice it until one of my friends actually dragged me in there to get some fruit for themselves. I decided to try a blackberry while waiting and was hooked. I now buy everything from fruit to meat there. I’ve tried a couple pre-​made dishes which have been okay. (turkey brie sandwich=AMAZING)
Am so happy I can get fresh (actually fresh) foods right around here, and really taste the difference. Thank you so much Fenway Farmstand!

I LOVE this place — and not just because of it’s convenient proximity to my apartment. It’s nice to be able to have some place to go that has all locally grown produce at reasonable prices, along with healthy (mostly local) staples and snacks.
In an age where our food is being «industrialized», it’s really refreshing to have someplace to grocery shop with fresh, organic offerings. And very few (if any) of what they sell is from outside of what would be considered «local» — so you’re doing the environment a solid by shopping here.
If you go here, you HAVE to try the Batch pints of ice-​cream. Made locally, with only organic and fair-​trade ingredients, this is the best ice cream you will EVER eat. My favorite is the Salted Caramel, which is melt-​in-​your-​mouth delicious (unfortunately I think that this is everyone’s favorite — one of the employees told me they get the most of this flavor and it sells out the fastest). The Batch Cinnamon-​Chocolate flavor is also yummy, but the Salted Caramel will seriously change how you think about ice cream.

The produce is much better than Shaw’s, and the prices aren’t as bad as I thought they’d be considering the food isn’t all factory farmed. The prepared meals and the various trail mixes they are carry are awesome. The cookies they carry are super too (Salted Rosemary Shortbread is where it’s at). I couldn’t be happier this place is in the neighborhood.

Wow, very excited about this place as I like to patronize local farms and fresh produce. I was very impressed y their selection and the presentation of the produce. Their bargain bin is full of great finds. as I have continued to visit, I continue to be impressed by them.

Given that they are now occupying what used to be the Goodyear tire store, my first thought was, «I sure hope they detoxed this place.» Have said that, the Farmstand is a welcome addition to the Fenway area with it’s stiffest competition being the pathetic Shaw’s across the street.
Their produce is fresh and reasonably priced but limited in selection. The organic chickens are very good… the meat is firm and sweet. They also sell a lot of local products, which I appreciate because in reality, shipping food from across the nation isn’t exactly environmentally friendly. They seem to be becoming more well stocked over time and I hope this trend continues.
I like supporting non-​chain local grocers, so I’ll keep coming.

This has been a sorely needed addition to the neighborhood, and I agree with Andrew R. they’re getting better with each passing week.
We go there now for our produce, milk, and beef (grass-​fed, delicious).
Hope to see them pair up with the fish co-​op and then our food budget will come down from the Whole Foods heights.

I went there after buying a groupon — $ 10 for $ 20 worth of food. I went today April 2. I was grossed out by the products offered. All of the frozen foods had some serious freezer burn. They only had frozen (with freezer burn) lasagnas. When I asked if they had any that wasn’t frozen, the reply was «I don’t think so.» Get back to me when you know something. They were offering $ 2 off some meat. The «sell by date» on this meat was December 2009. They are selling meat that is 4 months old??? Even at a discount, is that legal? So much for fresh. The produce looked ok, but nothing great. I couldn’t muster up $ 20 worth of stuff to use the groupon. I’m hoping it will be better in the summer. I’ll go back ONLY because I’ve already bought this groupon.
Tired again, today April 23. Big mistake — several hours before a Red Sox game. They don’t allow parking in their parking lot during game day as they charge $ 30 to park there.
Strike 2

Best place to get fresh produce in the Fenway area. Now, I know that may not be exactly what you’re craving before you go to the game, but for those of us who work in the area, we want something a little fresher than La Verdad and Game On occasionally.
Decent selection of produce here, and it’s only getting better the longer they’re open. They also say that as the summer comes, they’ll be expanding that selection even more! Seriously gorgeous stuff. Fingerling potatoes, fuji apples, so many delicious things.
The non-​produce stuff is a little overpriced, I think, and not anything really special. For example: the jam is bonne maman. Good stuff, but not local or anything, just really good and on the pricey side.
If you’re just grabbing fresh produce, stop here instead of Shaw’s. If you need all your grocery items, this probably won’t satisfy, but what they do have is of way high quality.

What do you do with a vacant garage abandoned months ago by Goodyear Auto Service? Why you put in a kicking’ produce stand!
I have been waiting patiently for this place to open, and, today on a stroll to Shaw’s to grab some mediocre fruits and veggies for dinner I saw Marshalls was open!
Fresh fruit, veggies, herbs, local meats, poultry, dairy, HOMEMADE MASON JAR CANNED treats (Mike’s Maine Dill Pickles rocked my tastebuds!), salsa… and, and, and… wait for it… currently Xmas trees of all shapes and sizes!
Reasonable prices and beautiful selection.

Wow!!! this was like the bastard child between markets I have shopped at in small Italian villages and an American small Grocer.
The selection is not as expansive as in an American grocery store, but the produce puts the nearby Shaws to shame. The prices were reasonable, but the produce was beautiful… I felt like a kid in a candy store strolling around the aisles.
The leeks, parsley, and other fresh goodies were spread out on an ice-​bed where they could bee seen in all of their glory. The root vegetables (including beautiful local parsnips, and don’t get me started on the awesome apples I saw there!!!) were laid out, and not crammed together for easy selection. Looking around it was not an issue of selecting what was not about to spoil, but being overwhelmed by perfect produce.
They also spotlight other local products with fresh meats, pasta, cheeses, cookies, and local milk in glass bottles (so happy with this) and sauces. I did purchase some creamed spinach, and plan on trying the pastas soon. I would have purchased more, but I was so overwhelmed by the quality of their product that my mental inventory of my fridge was wiped clean.
I spent a few minutes talking with one of the cashiers about the food. He said that currently 50% of the products came directly from their farm in Gloucester. He then told me that come summertime 90% of the food will come from the farm itself! I could not be happier having a high quality source for produce and pasta here in the Fens. I do not mind dropping a little extra money to support local farmers (especially since the their products were so nice).
This is a definite winner in my book. I sense that my winter cooking has just been ratcheted up a notch!