8 a.m. the day before: “After all these years, poking a hole in the ground and watching things germinate still amazes me,” says Paul Carpenter. (ANNE CUSACK / LAT)
8 a.m.: Chef Josh McGinnis of Prego in San Diego stops to smell the carrots. (ANNE CUSACK / LAT)
5 a.m.: Well before sunup, Mark Carpenter and his mother, Maryann, haul fennel, fava beans and other vegetables to Santa Monica. (ANNE CUSACK / LAT)
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6:45 a.m. Sorting orders takes hours. Aki Tamai counts out the artichokes requested by a Los Angeles chef while Mark Carpenter organizes another order. (ANNE CUSACK / LAT)
7:15 a.m.: Sorting continues. At the Santa Monica market, half the Carpenters’ sales are to restaurants. (ANNE CUSACK / LAT)
9 a.m.: Maryann Carpenter gets a hug from Getty Center chef Terri Buzzard. (ANNE CUSACK / LAT)
