Tati Foor
Staff Writer
Vendors offer fresh produce, natural goods, crafts and personal connections at the Pomona Valley Certified Farmers Market 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday at 145 West Pearl Street.
The market was started in 1981, said market manager Harry Brown-Hiegel
“Before 1977, it was against the law for a farmer to sell directly to a customer,” he said.
Today the market hosts between 15 and 20 vendors during the cooler months, and up to 30 during the summer.
Vendors are carefully selected to ensure variety and quality. Brown-Hiegel ensures all fruits and vegetables are covered by sourcing from farmers across different counties.
This diversity provides security just in case growers in one county face challenges, such as pesticides, the market can rely on a different supplier from another area.
One popular vendor sells fresh eggs that customers have been eagerly seeking out lately.
“They’re fresh compared to the industry,” farmer Edrys Sandoval who was selling fresh eggs said. “We don’t have any problem with shortages because we have our own chickens.”
Sandoval said he grew up in a farming family and loves to educate customers.
“Sometimes we have to explain to them how we grow vegetables and fruits,” Sandoval said. “A lot of people eat produce, but don’t know how it’s grown.”
Besides produce, the market offers hand-crafted products such sea moss, natural toothpaste and mushroom coffee.
“I teach people how to eat according to their own bio individuality, because there’s no such thing as one size fits all,” Virginia Fujiwara, a holistic practitioner and herbalist, owner of Riverside-based Vitality with V, whose stand was among those featured at the market said. Fujiwara’s business began with sea moss, followed by natural toothpaste, which was initially created for a customer with mouth cancer.
Customers seemed to appreciate the market’s atmosphere and offerings.
“It’s easier to talk and ask questions to vendors,” Valeria Benavides said.
She added that she appreciates the market’s quality fare.
The market also has offerings for those on a limited income, it accepts EBT and SNAP government food assistance programs.
“We have a market match program so we can double that,” Brown-Hiegel said.
Tati Foor can be reached at tatiana.foor@laverne.edu.
Tati Foor is a junior communications major with a concentration in public relations, and a staff writer for the Campus Times.
