LITTLEROCK FRUIT VENDORS SELL THE SWEET TASTE OF SUMMER.

Byline: Bhavna Mistry Daily News Staff Writer

If fresh fruit is your biggest treat of the summer than Littlerock is the place for you.

From 75th Street East to 85th Street East, six fruit stands line Pearblossom Highway offering the fresh fruits of the season and other international favorites.

``We open during the summer months with our local fruit,'' said Tony Herrera, owner of Scattaglia Farms, at 8237 Pearblossom Highway, open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. ``We grow our own peaches, nectarines, plums, apricots and cherries.''

By mid-July, Herrera plans to have seven varieties of his peaches available. ``Each variety goes on for about three weeks,'' he said.

Many of those who flock to Herrera's stand in front of a retail packing house come from the Los Angeles Basin, he said.

``We get a lot of people on their way to and from Las Vegas or Laughlin,'' he said. ``Every season's different. We get really busy and it's nice to open up and watch the people come by.''

While most stands are open from June to October, one is ready for business year round. That is the Farmers Mart, 8202 Pearblossom Highway, which opened in 1947 with a dirt floor and palm leaf ceiling. In 1962, the mart was transformed into a little market offering a large variety of fruits and vegetables along with many other goodies. The Farmers Mart is open from 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. daily.

``We have a bakery that bakes fresh bread daily and a full line of meats,'' said Frances Scattaglia, whose husband founded the mart now owned by her son. ``It's a family operation.''

Fresh local honey and fat free and cholesterol free salad dressings, preserves and relishes are specially made, packaged and sold at the mart along with a selection of wines from the Antelope Valley Winery.

The mart also houses a Mexican restaurant offering breakfast, lunch and dinner, counter or booth seating and fresh fruit milkshakes.

Although Littlerock has been the Antelope Valley's undisputed fruit basket, the city of Palmdale will also try a hand at selling fruit this summer with a weekend farmers market.

Expected to begin July 13 with 25 vendors and a grand-opening celebration in front of the Richard B. Hammock Activity Center at 815 E Avenue Q-6, the Palmdale Farmer's Market will be open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays year round.

The new market is sponsored by the First Baptist Church of Palmdale and the city. Dick Wells, chairman of the church's board, expects produce from farmers as far away as Fresno, Ventura and San Diego to join local farmers. Home-grown fruits and vegetables, fresh bread, eggs, fish and organic items will be sold.

``This is a certified market,'' Wells said. ``Every farmer will have grown their own items. There should be a lot of good stuff.''

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Photo: (Color) Scattaglia Farms employee Maria Susana Beltr an displays a box of cherries.

Jeff Goldwater/Daily News