Growing Trend : Ojai will soon have an outlet for farmers to sell their produce directly to consumers.
The popular farmers’ market concept--an outlet for growers to offer their fresh produce and other goods directly to the consumer--will soon come to Ojai.
Since receiving approval from the Ojai Planning Commission in early November, organizer Cynthia Korman has chosen Dec. 8 to inaugurate the Ojai Certified Farmers’ Market.
“The city was gung-ho on the idea,” Korman said recently. “It’s something the town really seems to desire.”
Korman, an Ojai insurance broker, said the market will be held 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays at 236 W. Ojai Ave., a former car dealership lot located between The Antique Collection and Ojai Frostie.
“It’s been a wasted sight for the city for about five years,” Korman said, “so it’s nice to see it come to some use.”
City Planning Department Chairwoman Marge Faye said the market site was ideal because of its central downtown location and sufficient parking space.
“We’ve had other people talk about organizing a market in the past,” Faye said, “but this is the first time anyone has followed through with it.”
The site can also accommodate the large number of farmers Korman hopes to attract in the near future.
“We’ll open with around 15 farmers,” she said. “I’d like to run it with between 40 to 50.” She said the city will allow her to operate the open-air market with a maximum of 60 vendors.
Like all other certified farmers’ markets in Ventura County, the Ojai outlet will be governed by operating rules set by the state Department of Food and Agriculture.
“The rules ensure it’s direct marketing,” said Korman, manager for the Ojai market and herself a certified grower. “It must be farmer to consumer, not peddler to consumer.
“Since the town is very health-oriented, I prefer to have mostly organic growers take part.”
She said, however, that farmers who raise their produce non-organically will not be restricted from selling at the newly formed market.
Besides an assortment of seasonal produce, items to be sold will include herbs, nursery stock, eggs and fresh-cut flowers. “I’ve also been in contact with a couple of fishermen in hopes of them offering fresh fish,” she said.
While other area markets attract farmers from outside the county, Korman said she would concentrate mainly on attracting local growers.
“I’m hoping mostly for Ventura County growers,” she said. “I want to keep it local and have them prosper from it,” she said. At least two Santa Barbara growers will attend. But if a sufficient number of local growers can’t be attracted, more outside producers will be solicited, she said.
Vendors will pay Korman a weekly commission of 8% of their total sales or a minimum charge of $20. That is about 2% higher than farmers are charged for attending other area markets in Ventura, Thousand Oaks, Oxnard and Camarillo.
“It’s a bit higher,” Korman said, “but I’m not sponsored by anybody. This is a private entity. I want to make sure I can keep it open. I’m paying out of my pocket for things like insurance and rent. My objective is to keep the thing running.”
Anyone interested in attending the Ojai market is encouraged to contact Korman. “We want to offer the widest variety of items possible,” she said. “That means bringing in some of the back yard growers too. The catch you run into is they must be certified.”
Certification is provided by the Ventura County Agricultural Commissioner’s office. Gaining certification essentially means a grower has to prove he or she is indeed the producer of what is sold.
Korman can be reached during normal business hours at 646-4444.
GOING TO MARKET
The following is a rundown of other local farmers markets.
Ventura County Certified Farmers’ Market:
* Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Montgomery Ward parking lot at Main Street and Mills Road, Ventura.
* Thursdays, 4 to 7 p.m.; Janss Mall at Hillcrest Drive and Moorpark Road, Thousand Oaks. (Closed today for Thanksgiving holiday.)
* Saturdays, 8:30 a.m. to noon; corner of Figueroa and Santa Clara streets, Ventura.
Oxnard Downtown Certified Farmers’ Market:
* Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; corner of 7th and B streets, Oxnard. (Closed today for Thanksgiving holiday.)
Camarillo Certified Farmers’ Market:
* Saturdays, 8 a.m. to noon; parking lot at the Senior Nutrition Center, 2220 Ventura Blvd., Camarillo.
