New farmers’ market coming




 

 

 

A weekly farmers’ market is coming to Oak Park beginning in June, providing area residents with another chance to buy locally grown produce, flowers and home-baked goods.

The Oak Park Municipal Advisory Council voted at its recent meeting to support the issuance of county permits for the market.

Although no start date has been set, the market would be from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday in the Oak Park Plaza shopping center at the corner of Lindero Canyon and Kanan roads. About 20 to 30 booths will be set up in the shopping center parking lot.

In addition to the farm vendors, booths will be available to local businesses and community groups. Special events and musical entertainment are also planned.

Organizing and administering the market is a Ventura-based farmers’ group called FMOCIH Corp., which currently has markets in Simi Valley, Northridge and Oxnard.

"One of the advantages of farmers’ markets is that consumers can purchase fresh produce directly from the farmers who grew it," said Mark Rochin, a citrus farmer and the chief financial officer for FMOCIH.

All of the group’s participating farmers will be certified by the California Agricultural Commissioner, Rochin said.

Parking will be available along Kanan as well as in the overflow parking lot of St. Maximilian Kolbe Church located across the street from the shopping center, officials said.

MAC members hope the market will serve as a community focal point.

"Not only will this be a wonderful weekend resource and destination for our community members, but our excellent local businesses will benefit as well," said Jay Kapitz, MAC chairperson.

"I anticipate that the communities of Oak Park, Agoura Hills, North Ranch and perhaps beyond will be extremely supportive of the farmers’ market," said Todd Haines, MAC member. "It is another asset in making Oak Park and the surrounding areas a great place to live."

Over the past decade a pair of markets have tried and failed in Agoura Hills. Several attempts at a Westlake Village market also were unsuccessful.

The longest-running local market is in Calabasas on Saturdays. Thousand Oaks has a market on Thursdays.


Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *