Corona Farmers’ Market

As you know, the Fuji family lives in Southern California. Specifically, we live in the City of Corona–a city located approximately 45 miles southeast of Los Angeles in western Riverside County.
The city is situated at the base of the Cleveland National Forest. Corona was founded in 1886 as an agricultural town, as the warm climate of the area is conducive to growing citrus fruit. By the early 1900s Corona was producing more lemons that anywhere else in the world and was nicknamed “Lemon City.” The first lemon processing plant in the country was built in Corona in 1915. Up until the 1980s, Corona remained largely agricultural–home to many citrus orchards, ranches, and dairy farms (the world’s largest cheese plant was opened on Lincoln Avenue in Corona in 1985). By the 1980s Corona’s population had begun to swell, topping 100,000 plus in 1996, and commercial development began to explode.
If you weren’t familiar with the area or its history, you might not guess that the city has such rich agrarian roots. Ironically, up until 3 1/2 weeks ago, Corona did not have its own Farmers’ Market. At the beginning of this year, the city polled its residents through Facebook whether or not they would be interested in such a market. The response was a definite YES! The city hired Farmers’ Market Mngmnt. Co. Inc. to handle/coordinate the market, and everything came together quickly (the market actually launched several months earlier than originally planned). I attended the opening of the market on Saturday, July 11th, and have been every Saturday since. The market is still in its infancy with a relatively small group of vendors, but I am determined to keep going back. Why?
Not only am I thrilled to finally have a Farmers’ Market here in town, but I am excited about what it represents. The city carefully chose the location of the market–it is located in the center of the city in an area that is in need of economic redevelopment.
The market is one of the first steps in a revitalization plan headed by The Redevelopment Agency of the City of Corona to turn around economic and social blight within the city.
The city could have chosen a wealthier or busier part of town, but they didn’t. The area they chose has suffered quite a bit of economic decline in recent years and it shows.
However, one employee told me that several restaurants located across the street from the market have already seen an increase in business as a result of the market and are now offering Saturday morning Farmers’ Market specials on their menus.
It seems that the city is making good choices all around. Not only does the location seem smart, but their choice to partner with Farmers’ Market Mngmnt. Co. Inc. appears to be a smart one as well. The company is owned by individuals who are farmers themselves and is already managing three successful markets in Temecula, California. Talking to Chaili Brittain, their Special Event Coordinator, I was impressed with the excitement she expressed in the new market, and with the involvement of the city. She told me that they have been adding vendors every week (two farmers, two food vendors, and two craft vendors this past Saturday alone!), and that they are focused on local farms and vendors. When they started the market, they brought several of their vendors with them from their Temecula Markets, but they are slowly adding more and more farmers and businesses from the Corona/Riverside area.

Although I am excited by the revitalization efforts and by having a Farmers’ Market within a short driving distance of my home, I am most excited about the sense of community that I’m hoping it will foster for those of us who consider ourselves to be “foodies.”

On the first Saturday of the market, I happened to stop by a booth called “Carry All Fresh Produce.”
Johnny and Anthony, the two men running the booth, were cheerily greeting anyone stopping by. At one point as I was examining a bunch of beets, Johnny asked me if I wanted a toothache and then pointed out some melons and explained that they were so sweet that they would give me a toothache. It made me smile and I quickly added one of the melons to my bag. When I cut that melon open later that day, I quickly discovered that he was right–it was sweet and quickly disappeared as we ate it up in big juicy mouthfuls.
The next weekend I started out at Carry All’s booth. Anthony recognized me from the previous week and exclaimed, “See? I told ya you’d be back!”
If the Corona Farmer’s Market continues to thrive and develop, it will be not only because of good management, but also because of people like Johnny and Anthony of Carry All. Carry All, whose farmland is located on the southeast hillside of Corona, is able to keep their prices a bit lower because they aren’t using city water to irrigate as they have their own well. They are currently growing swiss chard, beets, heirloom tomatoes, corn, carrots, zucchini, several types of melon, cucumbers, kabocha squash, basil, mint, jalapenos, and three varieties of flowers. They use organic fertilizer obtained locally (from Chino) and do not use any pesticides. One of the reasons I have been excited to return to the market each Saturday is because of Carry All. Not only do they make an effort to remember faces, but they make the market experience fun, they are proud of their product, and their produce is GOOD. I would keep going back to them for their carrots alone–they are as sweet and flavorful as candy. This past Saturday as I was walking up to their booth, Johnny was preparing some quick cucumber pickles to pass out to customers.
They are always ready to give customers ideas on ways to use their fresh produce. In my opinion, Carry All is an example of what a good Farmers’ Market is all about. Our farmers should be proud of their products, and we should have more of an interest in being educated about where our food comes from. Not only do we benefit, but our communities benefit.

Corona Farmer’s Market
Main Street Marketplace (Main & Rincon)
From 8:30 am to 12:30 pm year round, rain or shine

* My Jerusalem salad I made last week was made from Carry All produce!
* I can’t wait for Carry All’s kabocha squash to come into season–stuffed squash and kabocha squash soup here I come!

* History source: Corona Public Library

Coming Tomorrow: {Special Guest Post} Making Japanese Pickles the Washoku Way