Oak Park Farmer’s Market

This morning we went to the first ever Oak Park Farmer’s Market. For those of you who do not know where Oak Park is,it is the original suburb of Sacramento and was built around the turn of the century (1900s). Now a days,it is considered urban Sacramento. ‘The neighborhood is home to 16,000 residents,with more than 65 percent of households making less than $35,000 a year’,said Sharon Eghigian,community services director of NeighborWorks. At Sacramento High School,about two blocks from the new farmers market site,70 percent of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunches…‘There is one grocery store —Food Source at Broadway and Stockton Boulevard —and about 20 convenience stores’,said Joany Titherington,who will manage the farmers market and is former president of the neighborhood association.”. The organizers hope this Farmer’s Market will help everyone in Oak Park (and Sacramento) to have access to fresh produce. “The success of the farmstand prompted neighborhood organizers to look into a fixed farmers market. NeighborWorks handled the permits and insurance. The Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency put up the property. And organizers figured out how to accept food stamps and WIC coupons. ‘That was critical,’said Eghigian. ‘We want to make this accessible to all different income levels’.”(Sacramento Bee,April 23,2010)

We really enjoyed the market I think because there was a real sense of comminity. Since they are just kicking off this farmer’s market,there were only a handful of vendor’s but they all looked great. I picked up snap peas (1 lb.),strawberries (3 baskets),spring onions,and baby bok choy,all for $13. We are having stir fry tomorrow and the “strawberry monster”(aka:Ross) is lurking around the house. The kids came away with all kinds of loot:balloons,reusable shopping bags,key chains,balloon squirrel and balloon machine gun. And I even got a treat! They were selling those beautiful large elephant grass baskets from Guyana and all proceeds go to supporting the Oak Park Famer’s Market. How could I resist? And it seems I was not the only one,everyone I saw had one. I hope this is just the beginning of a great Market for Oak Park.

After doing our shopping,we went across the street to Old Soul Co. I have been wanting to go there since they opened,but it’s a little off my beaten path for a coffee pit stop. The place was buzzing with people who had been to the Oak Park Farmer’s Market. Adults were visiting,kids were playing,and the baristas were hopping. On the way in we say Mayor Kevin Johnson,so Mark took the opportunity to introduce the kids. I tried their homemade Chai with soy milk and it was delicious! I think the Oak Park Farmer’s Market and Old Soul will definitely become part of our regular routine!