Farmer’s Market continues to sell healthy and locally grown food with the help of Costa students

By Nicolette Olson
Staff Writer

Over the past four years, the Manhattan Beach Farmer’s Market has brought healthy, locally grown food, and a weekly constant to the community of Manhattan Beach.

The Manhattan Beach Farmer’s Market has been a part of the Manhattan Beach community since July 11, 2007. When the farmer’s market first opened, it originally had twenty-eight to thirty vendors, but since then the number of vendors has grown immensely.

“As of now, the Manhattan Beach Farmer’s Market has thirty-five to forty vendors, depending on the season,” Manhattan Beach Farmer’s Market manager, Descartes said. “The most recent vendors are Salsa Poblanos, and Chill Spot, a seasonal vendor coming back for the season. Both vendors have been here for the past seven months. Also, I’m in the process of picking between two almond growers that sell flavored almonds and almond butters. Their names are Stackhouse Brothers Farm and Almond Growers.”

The Manhattan Beach Farmer’s Market has also progressed in terms of acquiring more student volunteers. Student volunteers are required to devote more than ten hours of their time to be full-fledged volunteers at the Manhattan Beach Farmer’s Market.

“The student volunteers’ responsibilities included helping set up vendors in the morning, working at the information table, making organized displays, and keeping the market clean,” Descartes said.

Through her years as manager of the Manhattan Beach Farmer’s Market, Descartes has gained more experience and constantly thinks of new plans to renovate the Farmer’s Market. In order to make the vendors more aesthetic she constantly designs different displays and makes suggestions to the vendors on how to make their booths more appealing.

“Also, as the manager I make the choice of selecting vendors with the mindset to get the best quality for my customers. The various vendor categories are: California Certified Producer, prepared or hot foods, and exhibitors. Over time things need to evolve such as bringing new vendors into the Farmer’s Market to keep producing satisfying and healthy food, ” Descartes said.

Some common sights at the Manhattan Beach Farmer’s Market are smoke coming from grills from different vendors, and the displays of freshly picked fruit on the vendors’ table.

“The community now has an access to fresh, local, and culturally diverse food. The Manhattan Beach Farmer’s Market offers a wide variety of produce and food from gyros to crepes. The wide variety of locally grown and organic food brings people together, because it’s healthy and tastes better, ” Manhattan Beach Farmer’s Market volunteer, Fyllis Kramer, said.

Many vendors noticed that the Manhattan Beach Farmer’s Market has become a vital part of Manhattan Beach, because it promotes locally grown food, healthy nutrition, and a strong sense of community.

“At the Gourmet Korean Food vendor, we promote the healthiness of a different culture, while bringing it in to the community in a familiar way. Some of our specialty dishes are tempha and organic barbeque tofu. To have a high level of quality in a Farmer’s Market, the vendors, volunteers, and manager work towards the same goal of making the Manhattan Beach Farmer’s Market an inviting and relaxing place to come to every week,” Gourmet Korean Food vendor, Robb Barret said.