Voting has begun in American Farmland Trust's, "America's Favorite Farmers' Market Contest." http://action.farmland.org/site/PageNavigator/Americas-Favorite-Farmers-Markets/best_local_farmers_market_vote
So, I am encouraging everyone to go and vote for the Torrance Certified Farmers' Market to show our support and why we are the 3rd largest farmers' market in Los Angeles County! And, its not just because we have a large selection of farmers, but it's because our market is a community event and has been a fixture in the South Bay for 29 years! The Tuesday Market began in 1985 and the Saturday Market in 1992.
Now more than ever we need to support our local farmers' markets and make sure they thrive. Without farmers' markets, many California farmers couldn't survive (like Ken Lee, who has the best pluots ever)!
5 comments:
Personally I somewhat like the Torrance Farmer's Market but friends I have taken don't.
There is a world of difference between the Torrance Farmer's Market and the new So Fresh Farmer's Market at Del Amo Mall.
Del Amo is clean, spacey, a better attitude, etc. Maybe that will wear off in time.
Wilson Park is too compact. You have to bump into people left and right. Constantly stop because of a baby stroller has the walk way tied up. Open it up.
The parking lot is terrible to park in AND even walk in. Should have been resurfaced years, if not decades, ago.
Wilson's market seems dreary and old. Some vendors act like they are just going through the motions but many are very nice.
It is the same every Tuesday and Saturday. Its the same as it was 15 years ago. There is no spark or umph.
The food vendors are not local. They want to merely sell you food and move you out of the way. Hardly even say thank you let alone engage in a conversation.
Dear bgstine,
I appreciate you stopping by and taking the time to comment. We are all entitled to our opinions & preferences. As for me, I prefer supporting California farmers and encourage others to do that by shopping at the Torrance Certified Farmers' Market.
That's why I would like to clarify the difference between The Torrance Certified Farmers' Market, a California Certified Farmers' Market and the So Fresh Market at Del Amo.
So Fresh Market is not a certified farmers' market, nor even a farmers' market, it is simply a super market being held outside in the parking lot at the mall where wholesalers are selling produce they have bought on the wholesale market to customers.
You say that the Torrance Certified Farmers' Market doesn't have "local" food vendors, the hot food part is different from the farmer's part at a Certified Farmers' Market and they are considered "non-ag" vendors.
In contrast, all of the farmers' that sell produce at the Torrance Certified Farmers' Market are California farmers who grow what they sell there. They have to be in order to sell at a California Certified Farmers' Market. These markets are the "real" deal, farmers can only sell produce that he/or she grows,
http://www.cafarmersmarkets.com/whats-a-cfm.html. As they say, its all California grown and certified by the State of California (not to mention LA County Ag Inspectors).
So yes, there is a world of difference between it and So Fresh. The things you complain about: it being crowded, no parking seem to prove my point exactly, people like it and shop there because they want to support California farmers and shopping there does that.
I have been to So Fresh several times and they sell produce from around the world, and there's nothing wrong with that, but its inaccurate to compare that to a certified farmers' market.
Certified Farmers' Markets are also operated by non profit entities, just like ours is by the City of Torrance, and they may not be able to afford a new parking or fancy booths or trucks, but for this farm writer, the most important thing about shopping at a Certified Farmers' Market is supporting California farmers. They have enough global competition, they don't need our own community to undercut them!
As for vendors going through the motions, maybe some times they are tired since they often have to pick their produce hours before they leave to come to our farmers' market and work 7 days a week just to sustain themselves.
Sorry if this is long winded but supporting California farms and farming is my passion and is vital to the economic stability of the State of California. Please consider this when you shop!
Torrance Farmer's Market is equivalent to a weekly family dinner for me. It should be honored, respected and enjoyed. LA Farm Girl...I am a total fan of Ken's! Ha's apples are the best...def. on the pricier side...but i think it's worth the cost for the product.
Thanks for this post!!
"Uncle Jesse"
Thanks for visiting and for the positive comment about our wonderful market!
Oh, I agree, Ken Lee's pluots are to die for and I always buy Ha's apples and Harry's Berries, also a bit on the higher side but they are also to die for!
I also like to think of it like this, "you get what you pay for" and our dollars are helping these wonderful California farmers and making us healthier too!
Does Ken still have pluots? I live in Long Beach, but if Ken has the best pluots, my favorite fruit right now...I would happily drive!! Also, do you know if he does any LB markets? I am a huge fan of cert markets and I too don't want people to think they are shopping at a farmers market just because they are outside. I also appreciate the comments about parking lots and crowded spaces...we should be able to have both a nice venue and local cert farmers. Look to the school district! They have safe and secure land that should be multi-purposed for the community they serve. Happy farming!!
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