Morning Freshness at Redlands Farmers Market

On Saturday February 22nd, downtown Redlands held their year-round Farmers Market from 8 to 11 a.m. The outdoor market was located on Redlands Blvd. between 5th and 6th Streets in the public parking lot. Upon arriving, visitors were greeted by friendly vendors from all over California. Samples were offered to those interested in the natural produce and products. Quality and freshness is what many of the farms and vendors pride themselves on. “We like giving people good quality,” says, Javier Garcia who works for his family farm. His table was neatly organized with stacks of free-range eggs that appeared to be a popular product amongst his customers. The eggs are hormone and antibiotic free, “[we] feed the chickens squash, worms, bugs, wheats...and instead of giving them corn we give them sunflower seeds and oysters shells,” Garcia says. The Farmers Market not only attracts returning customers but also the new and curious as well. Mario Lara, a first-time visitor to the Farmers Market shared, “the fruits and vegetables have an amazing color to them. I came because I wanted to freshen and liven up my cooking by using more natural and organic produce. It’s also great because I get to try out some of the food before I buy it.” The food and produce exemplifies the hard work that farmers, workers, and their families go thru before packaging and satisfying returning customers. “Trabajas para vivir, para mantenemos,” (you work to live, to sustain yourself) states Cruz Garcia a vendor from Corona. With hard work and the supplying of fresh produce, businesses and communities such as Redlands create a growing bond for a healthy alternative to buying produce. “We pick every three days...[and] because it’s fresher, it tastes better” stated, Christian Ibarra a seller for his family farm in Fresno. Many of the vendors work for their family farm and or company. “Usually my brothers and I do the selling,” says Ibarra and like him, teamwork is required for the success and happiness of both consumer and seller. Osbaldo Sanchez and Jose Zacarias drove from Santa Maria to set up and sell strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries for Ruby Farm. Their berries are sold in three small containers with no chemicals or pesticides. As Osbaldo Sanchez interacts with customers about the berries he stated, “when you bring quality, people won’t say no.”