Bringing quality produce to the community.
BY ORLY LYONNE
If you have never been to the Pasadena Certified Farmers’ Market, you are in for a real treat.
You’ll love the experience of buying directly from the farmer that grows the food. What you’ll love even more is the fresh, delicious taste of locally grown, nutritious fruits, vegetables and farm products. The market also has other vendors offering jams, jellies, fish, and more.
You truly can’t beat the great flavor when you buy fresh, nutritious fruits and vegetables direct from the farmer at the Pasadena Certified Farmers’ Market in Pasadena. Their certified vendors only sell what they grow—in other words, they won’t sell you anything that they did not grow. You know where your food came from, and who grew it for you!
“Before 1978 farmers were not allowed to sell their produce directly off their farms if it did not meet ‘size, grade and packaging’ requirements of USDA standards,” reveals Gretchen Sterling, Manager of Pasadena Certified Farmers’ Markets.
“Then Governor Jerry Brown signed legislation to allow these sales off property by direct sales with exemptions for size, grade, and packaging.”
“Pasadena, as well as a handful of other communities, were helped by the State Of California Dept. of Food and Agriculture and the InterFaith Hunger Coalition to start markets that would allow farmers to sell directly to customers,” explains Sterling.
“Our goal,” states Sterling, “is to bring quality produce to the community.”
Pasadena’s Victory Park market is the largest in the San Gabriel Valley. With specialty items of grass-fed beef, fresh fish, local honey, flowers, and farmers from San Diego to Fresno as well as up the coast to San Luis Obispo and to the desert area of Salton Sea.
The market is cash only, and is open rain or shine.
To find out more about Pasadena Certified Farmers’ Market, visit www.pasadenafarmersmarket.org.
