Rose Garden Resident
News
Photograph by Kevin White
Right Pick: Tricia Allen (left) Amos Brocaw and Luis Escobedo pick through the fresh fruit of Hamlow Ranches at the Festival and Farmers Market on The Alameda. Along with fresh produce, the children's section with activities and crafts brought a steady crowd to the grand opening event.
New farmers market opens small but closes with few customer complaints
By Mary Gottschalk
The Festival and Farmers Market on The Alameda debuted June 10 in the parking lot of Downtown College Preparatory with a steady stream of shoppers.
If there weren't as many farmers as shoppers would have liked, or as many shoppers as farmers would have liked, there were few complaints. The 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. event had an optimistic, convivial atmosphere.
"You just have to give it a chance," said Felipe Ruvalcaba, a flower vendor from Royal Oaks near Watsonville. "If you do this long enough, you know it can be slower at first. You can't expect to sell out the first week."
Ruvalcaba said his father started growing flowers in 1988 after working for other large growers. Now, the family participates in 20 to 25 markets a week.
"Monday is our only day off because there are no markets on Mondays," he said with a smile.
Rose Garden resident David Barry, who was volunteering at the event monitoring the children in the jump house, said he and his wife Gayle Caton and their 13-month-old daughter Sophia were planning to shop when he finished his shift.
"We purposely didn't buy any fruit or vegetables at Trader Joe's this week," Barry said.
The day did not start well for Jennifer Cannella, volunteer manager of the market.
At 5 a.m., she got a phone call from her biggest vendor, a farmer who planned to set up four booths.
"He said his truck broke down, so I said, 'I'll come get you,'" Cannella said.
When she learned he was in Fresno, she realized there wasn't time to drive there and back.
Clearly disappointed, Cannella said he promised to be there for the June 17 market.
Cannella said she expects at least three other new vendors to start as well and several more sent scouts to check out the opening day.
The owner of Habana Cuba restaurant on Race Street, Cannella had a booth selling imported soft drinks from Mexico, Latin and South America. Selections included pineapple and passion fruit sodas, Inca Cola and Coca-Cola bottled in Mexico and said to be sweeter than that sold in California.
Additionally, Cannella offered all children who stopped by a plastic cup filled with crayons and pictures to color.
The produce and fruit booths sold flavored almonds, baby bok choy, eggplants, onions, garlic, Chinese leans, basil, peaches, apricots, plums, pluots and cherries. There was one vendor with just organic strawberries from Watsonville.
Other vendors offered merchandise such as jewelry and hair clips for children.
Peruvian pottery, wall hangings and compact discus of Andean flute music were sold at the Machu Picchu booth, while next to it Greenlee's Bakery was doing a brisk business with its famous cinnamon bread, croissants, creme cake loaf and bear claws.
Shannah Miller, a Hanchett Avenue resident, brought her line of hand-made soaps.
"I wanted to do the farmers market so people can see the soap I make, pick it up and enjoy," she said.
Miller had soap sponges, an all-in-one product, as well as molded cakes of grapefruit, raspberry, lilac, rose, lavender and green chai tea soaps.
Shoppers Janet DeBartolo and Terry Riley carried bags of almonds, peaches and Greenlee's bread.
"I come for the produce--that was the main attraction last year," Riley said. "I thought it was great last year."
Both thought more farmers were needed.
"I'm hoping it gets better," DeBartolo said.
Claire Smith, shopping with her 11-month-old daughter Marianna, agreed.
"It's pretty empty. I thought there were would be more farmers. I'm hoping it will come back."
Amy Tankersley, shopping with her two-year-old daughter Kate, said, "I love it. I was excited about it starting up again. We came last year."
Brian Pirkl was carrying green onions, spinach, green beans, eggplants, peaches and nectarines.
"This is not as big of a turnout as last year in terms of vendors," Pirkl said. "I hope it increases and we'll get bigger crowds."
Among those in the opening day crowd was Ken Yeager, District 6 city councilman and newly elected county supervisor, and Pete Constant, newly elected city councilman.
Joe Bentley, president of the Shasta Hanchett Park Neighborhood Association and the man who brought the first farmers market to The Alameda last year, said, "This is a great start. I'm looking forward to a good year."
Larry Clark, president of The Alameda Business Association, compared the opening day to a Silicon Valley high-tech start up, saying it will take time to build it up.
Clark took over organizing the 2006 market after gaining board support to terminate the second year of a two-year contract with the operators of the 2005 market.
To increase attendance, Clark came up with the idea of incorporating a festival with a specific theme each week. A Fiesta Day is planned for the June 17 farmers market.
The Festival and Farmers Market on The Alameda will continue on Saturdays, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. through Oct. 21 at Downtown College Preparatory, at The Alameda and Lenzen Avenue.
