Farmers’ Market to Benefit the Elderly

A bell clanging at 8 a.m. marked the official opening Sunday of the ONE Farmers’ Market in Van Nuys, where farmers offered up a cornucopia of fresh produce in a sale that also benefited a local senior citizens’ group.

San Fernando Valley residents lined up at the gate to be among the first of a crowd of thousands to browse over strawberries, peaches, sunflowers, honey and quilts hand-stitched by seniors at the Organization for the Needs of the Elderly.

The farmers and other vendors will donate 5% of their sales to ONE, which provides services to the elderly, in exchange for the opportunity to sell their goods every Sunday, from 8 a.m. to noon, at the group’s parking lot at 17400 Victory Blvd. in Van Nuys.

The ONE market is the newest of more than 20 farmers’ markets in the Southland Farmers’ Market Assn. and serves San Fernando Valley residents who previously had to travel to Calabasas or Burbank for farm-fresh vegetables and fruits.

On hand for the opening festivities were Los Angeles City Councilwoman Laura Chick and famed chef Wolfgang Puck, who participated in the Official Carrot Cutting Ceremony to kick off the market. Puck, who grew up on a farm, recommends that people buy their fruits and vegetables at farmers’ markets.

“They come directly from the farm and are picked ripe,” Puck said. “In the supermarket, the produce looks good, but it tastes like nothing because they pick it green.”

June Hail, of Studio City, who often patronizes the Burbank farmers’ market, said she was happy to have another market near her. “I definitely wanted to be here for the first day,” said Hail, carrying her booty of organically grown strawberries, avocados and peaches in plastic bags.

“It would be nice to have some entertainment here, like jugglers, and really make a day of it,” suggested Sue Stanton of Sherman Oaks, as she eyed some sweet yellow corn at a nearby booth.

Touting a variety of multicolored potatoes, Alex Weiser of the Weiser Family Farms, said his family primarily distribute their produce through farmers’ markets.

“In the past, we farmed for commercial suppliers,” Weiser said. “We would sell to a wholesaler who didn’t really care. He just wanted to buy our apples at a low price.”

The Weiser family haul their produce--which includes potatoes, Israeli cantaloupes, Chinese watermelons and lilacs--from the Lucerne Valley, northeast of Los Angeles, to many of the urban markets.

“It’s a lot more work,” Weiser said. “But it’s very satisfying to know you have customers who come back every week.”

Association Director Marion Kalb attributes the popularity of farmers’ markets in Southern California to a growing appreciation of fresh foods.

“People are getting into eating fresh produce,” Kalb said. “Once they start shopping at a farmers’ market, they realize that it tastes better, and they get really great value.”

Items purchased at farmers’ markets are 20% to 30% cheaper than supermarket goods, according to a survey conducted by Certified Farmers’ Markets, the organization to which the Southland association belongs.