B.I. Farms

After reading John N.‘s review of this place earlier this month and because I do most of my produce shopping in Chinatown I just had to check this place out.
As the stereotypical Chinese I want things fresh and cheap. Yikes, not sure if that was phrased properly…
Okay, let’s start again. When shopping there are 2 factors for me: freshness and economical. And now that we are more conscientious of our health organic is the way to go. So when you factor those 3 together, B I Farm is the place to shop.
Located in the far back stall of Maunakea Marketplace (as you enter from the doors that are facing North Hotel Street) B I Farms have their harvest on tables nicely displayed with handwritten prices. In the handful of times I’ve shopped here the produce are fresh and alive — — when you pick up a bunch of veggies they are not wilted and dried out.
They mostly carry vegetables but do carry some fruits (bananas and papayas) depending on availability. As mentioned in John N.‘s review, you need to come here early because they get «raided» by the regulars who shop here. Unfortunately, I usually don’t make it to Chinatown until after 9am so I pretty much select from their «leftovers».
So for you shoppers who are looking for fresh and cheap… I mean, if you’re looking for freshness, economical and organic — — then this is the place for you.
NOTES:
1) Typical Chinatown parking. You need to either find meter parking or at the municipal lots. With the police substation nearby, I don’t recommend you to park on the streets because there are MANY loading zones and you’ll get ticketed if you park in these areas.
2) CASH only.
3) They are open daily but keep in mind that Maunakea Marketplace is closed on some MAJOR holidays and when this happens, the gates are closed so vendors and stalls are also closed.

Okay, the secret is now out. This spot is always the first market I go to when I am in Chinatown and is a well kept secret among the frequenters of Chinatown. Where else are you going to find inexpensive organic produce that’s so fresh, they harvest it daily and bring it into their store? Yes, you heard right. Inexpensive organic produce. Forget your Whole Foods and Farmer’s Market where not everything is organic and you don’t know always what the source of the vegetables are from. Not only that, why do you have to pay a high price for organic vegetables? It totally defeats the purpose of eating clean and healthy.
At B.I. Farms, a bunch of kale is a dollar. Just one dollar, not two, three, or four at Farmer’s Markets. They’re also my source for choy sum, long beans, and eggplants. All grown themselves and harvested. Straight outta Compt. eer I mean North Shore. Everything is inexpensive, fresh, and good.
This place is such a great deal that most worthwhile stuff is sold out before 10am. There’s usually a small crowd eagerly anticipating its opening and what fresh vegetables they harvested before they open. When they finally do open, it can be quite a madhouse. You won’t find much left after 10am.
Being that its just one of the many stalls in Maunakea Marketplace, the easiest way to find it is entering from the main entrance of the market on Hotel Street. Just go straight down to the back wall, you can’t miss their big sign.
Enjoy never ever spending a «Whole Paycheck» on your vegetables ever again and to those who know about this place already, I apologize.