Bountiful South County
Local farmers’ markets just keep getting better
S
outh County residents are blessed
with thriving farmers’ markets that
offer the benefits of California’s
farm-to-table goodness. Local markets that
are designated by the State of California
Agricultural Commissioner as “Certified
Farmers’ Markets” assure customers they are
buying direct from the source. Residents
can meet local area farmers, learn about
local growing and ranching practices and
benefit from just-harvested fruits, vegeta-
bles, starter plants, eggs and poultry.
According to Gayle Hayden, Executive
Director of California Farmers’ Market
Association (CFMA), “People want to eat
healthy and they like to shop locally. What
we are seeing is a sustainable movement in
favor of a local and secure food supply that
offers real nutrition, not a fad.” CFMA
is a mutual benefit corporation providing
Certified Farmers’ Markets for the Bay Area
since 1994. CFMA connects farmers to
community markets through promotional
activities including comparative tasting
events as well as cooking and gardening
demonstrations.
Growing interest in fresh markets also
provides an opportunity for local farmers to
introduce the community to heirloom and
specialty crops, plants and cut flowers that
may not be available in supermarkets. One
example is the Babcock peach, which has a
superior flavor but doesn’t ship well. Adding
to fresh market appeal is the presence of
local food artisans who sell hand-crafted
gourmet food items along with recipes and
serving suggestions to help with meal and
party planning.
Many local area farmers and food
producers also participate in the Gilroy
Garlic Festival, Taste of Morgan Hill, the
Mushroom Mardi Gras and other commu-
nity events.
Gilroy’s Welten Farms is a certified
organic grower of heirloom vegetables such
as rainbow carrots and snack cucumbers,
and kale and kohlrabi crops for organic
seed production. Pansies and other flow-
ers flourish in Welten greenhouses. Owner
Ronald Welten has been with the Gilroy
Farmers’ Market since 2011 and he’s been
in the seed business for 20 years.
“This year, opening day was extremely
busy from the minute the market opened
and many vendors were sold out before it
closed. We’re off to a great start and want
to keep the momentum going,” Welten
said.
For the past five years, Lisa Knutson,
aka the “Pasture Chick”, has been offering
farm fresh eggs and poultry at our local
farmers’ markets. Knutson raises heritage
chickens on a ranch she and her husband
own in Hollister.
“We sell at a number of farmers’ mar-
kets, but especially here in Morgan Hill
and Gilroy we’ve met so many people who
support sustainable farming and want their
families to benefit from the farm-to-table
experience,” Knutson said.
GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN
JULY/ AUGUST 2015
Like other farmers, Oya Organics har-
vests its vegetables during the wee hours of
the morning to ensure just-picked freshness
at the market. Among its seasonal offerings
are Delicata and other squash varieties as
well as leeks, tri-color carrots, snap peas and
fava beans.
Penny Lane Farm is a hit with custom-
ers looking for young heirloom tomato or
pepper plants ready to pop into their back-
yard gardens. Be prepared to explore their
catalog because proprietors Diane and Dan
Matarangas offer more than 200 varieties of
tomatoes to choose from.
No farmers’ market would be complete
without fresh flowers. Thanks to Country
Essences of Watsonville and Prunedale-
based Royal Oaks Nursery, market regulars
can pick up colorful and fragrant bouquets
of fresh-cut flowers for holidays, special
occasions and everyday enjoyment.
According to Nic Ruvalcaba at Royal
Oaks, “Over the years I’ve learned what
local customers want. They come to the
market for fresh, locally-grown flowers
they can’t get in retail stores.” Ruvalcaba
took over the 100-acre nursery more than
15 years ago and he’s been selling through
CFMA ever since.
South County families return to market
week after week for fresh, flavorful green
and red leaf lettuce and sweet cherry toma-
toes from Chong Farm; rainbow chard, ten-
der broccolini, fennel and organic kale from
Swank Farms; and sweet strawberries from
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