Around 2 a.m. every Wednesday for the last couple of months, with the rest of Fresno asleep around him, Juan Plascencia has loaded up his truck with produce and rumbled out of town, headed south.
When he arrives in Westwood some four hours later, he begins the process of preparing his stall on Broxton Avenue in anticipation of customers arriving to the Westwood Village Farmers’ Market at 3 p.m.
The routine is common to the approximately 25 vendors who, like Plascencia, come to Westwood each Wednesday to sell their goods ““ mostly produce, but also some specialty products like flans, cobblers, flowers and even some aprons and jewelry. And while most do not travel as far as Plascencia does, all are in the business of selling organic, freshly harvested products.
“We don’t use any sprays or pesticides, and its all unprocessed and freshly picked. (The fruits) are all ready to eat,” Plascencia said.
But despite the quality of their products, the vendors have not seen as much traffic past their stalls since the mid-week farmers’ market reopened in the Village on June 17, after a nearly four-year hiatus.
“It’s still slow here, compared to other farmers’ markets,” said Evelin Tamayo, assistant manager for the Westwood Village Farmers’ Market.
Three years ago, the Farmers’ Market was located on Weyburn and Glendon avenues. It boasted a vibrant atmosphere and many more vendors, but because of safety concerns from construction on the Palazzo Westwood condos and apartments, as well as Trader Joe’s, it was forced to close.
“There’s no comparison between this one and the one on Thursday. It was much bigger and better then ““ there was more variety,” said Nancy Chakravarty, a Westwood resident, staff member at the UCLA Lab School, and market regular.
After the Thursday market closed, several attempts were made to bring a farmers’ market back to Westwood. Most recently, a market was held on Sunday afternoons, but with the lack of vendors and customers, the decision was made to attempt to reopen a mid-week market, which both students and staff could more conveniently attend.
With the cooperation of local business, the Los Angeles City Council and the UCLA community, the market was moved to Wednesday afternoons, from 3 to 8 p.m.
While the foot traffic has so far been slower than at the previous market, vendors and customers alike hope that as students return in the fall, and as the number and types of products increase, it will again resemble the vibrant Thursday market.
“I really want this one to succeed, so I’ll keep coming back, and hope that it grows,” Chakravarty said. “It’s great out here. You get to know the people, ask them questions about their produce, even figure out why your own tomatoes aren’t growing.”
Interacting with the vendors, like Plascencia, has proven to be just one of the draws of the market. Beyond that, the variety of produce available and the ability to taste it before buying has proven attractive to customers.
“Not only do I feel like I’m supporting local farmers and the environment, but its also more enjoyable than walking into Ralphs and not really being able to experience the food,” said Keo Booker, a recently graduated international development and Latin American studies student.
As she recalls the fruit she has tried, especially Plascencia’s pluots and peaches, she mentions that as long as she lives in the area, she will return to the market.
When she does, she will likely find vendors like Plascencia there, waiting to sell the produce they loaded onto their trucks just hours earlier.