We stumbled upon Water Fresh Farm while traveling in old, familiar territory. How often do you drive through the old neighborhood and see that the condos have given way to a farm?

The farm market is large, airy and well lit. There is planty of parking in front and an ice cream stand in a "silo" to the right of the market. Inside we expected the usual April selection of imported fruits and vegetables, so we were astonished to see their own farm-fresh herbs, cucumbers, and tomatoes.

Water Fresh Farm is not your grandfather's farm; it's hydroponic. It looks like something from a space station or a lunar colony.  From the back of the market you can step out onto an observation deck built into the first greenhouse. It's worth the visit just to see a modern hydroponic farm in action, producing delicious fresh produce out of the usual season.

We bought a pack of crisp little cucumbers (among other things, see below). After we drove away, I thought of just the thing to make with the cukes, but it needs a tomato and we hadn't bought one. Fortunately Lorna needed to get some things at the Bellingham Whole Foods, so she got a tomato, too. After we got home, we discovered the tomato was from our friends at Water Fresh Farm! 

Eventually I made a Kachumbar Salad and the vegetables were as tasty as they looked.

What about dirt? What about terroir? Well, I don't know how much different soils and soil treatments contribute to vegetables beyond the taste of the vegetable itself. We'll have to research that, with the same varieties of veggies grown on different farms. It will be interesting, but I can say that the difference will be a matter of taste, not quality.

Water Fresh Marketplace has the typical assortment of other goodies to fill out the shelves, but there were a few standouts: several teas from the excellent nearby Upton Tea Imports, Jersey Cow Cream from High Lawn Farm, and a Burrata from the Mozzarella House. There is also a bakery counter, a deli counter, and some prepared foods.