La Mesa Farmers Market

LA MESA FARMERS MARKET IS OPEN AGAIN

By Miriam Raftery

July 2, 2020 (La Mesa) – Now you can once again purchase farm-fresh produce directly from local farmers. The La Mesa Certified Farmer’s Market has reopened for in-person visitors on Fridays from 3 to 7 p.m. The market is  located along La  Mesa Blvd. between Palm Ave. and 4th Street, but with some changes due to COVID-19.

The farmer’s market was briefly closed, then opened for pre-ordered curbside delivery only. Now the market is back open to the public, but with the following rules, provided by the La Mesa Village Association:


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FARMER’S MARKET DECISION REACHED BY LA MESA CITY COUNCIL AS TENSIONS RISE

Council votes 3-2 to keep market downtown, but have Beevers Farmers Market run the event instead of merchants’ group

 

By Allan Acevedo

 

July 27, 2019 (La Mesa) – As foreshadowed at the previous La Mesa City Council meeting, the banner agenda item at this week’s meeting was the fate of the much-beloved farmer’s market. Its location, time, and management were up for debate because the current agreement ends July 30th.

 

The discussion on the Community Choice Aggregation Technical Feasibility Study was tabled for the next meeting because of the anticipated length of the farmer’s market discussion. The study will cover the feasibility for La Mesa to produce and sell clean electricity from renewable resources to residents, potentially in conjunction with other local cities.



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GROSSMONT CENTER FARMER’S MARKET LAUNCHES AS NONPROFIT: MALL REDUCES RATES FOR FARMERS AND DONATES 100% TO LA MESA PARKS

By Miriam Raftery

July 24, 2019 (La Mesa)—Samples of sweet tangerines, Moroccan olives, duck pate and doughnut peaches—along with free shopping bags—were among the treats welcoming shoppers at Grossmont Center’s inaugural farmer’s market today. Other tempting items included culinary herbs and teas, plump dates, lamb and duck sausages, hummus and tzatziki dips, marinades, sauces and more.

I picked up some microgreens, juicy citrus and ripe avocados, then spoke with market organizer Trevor Moore, also the public relations director for the regional shopping mall.

“We’ve decided to run our market as a nonprofit and donate 100% of proceeds to the La Mesa Parks and Recreation Foundation,” he says, adding that Grossmont’s owners, the Cushman family, want to help farmers and give back to their community. “We were charging farmers 8% of sales. We’ve cut that in half, to 4%.” That’s far below rates at other local markets, where charges range as high as 15%. 


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CALAWARE ATTORNEY: COUNCILMAN PARENT SHOULD RECUSE FROM VOTING ON FARMER’S MARKET

 

By Miriam Raftery

July 23, 2019 (La Mesa) – An attorney with Californians Aware (CalAware), an organization that protects the public’s rights in open government matters, has advised ECM that Councilman Colin Parent should likely recuse himself from tonight’s vote on the La Mesa Farmer’s Market for showing bias prior to public testimony.

Four applicants have submitted applicants. Three would keep the market downtown and one, Grossmont Center, would move it to the regional shopping mall.

ECM sought Calaware's opinion after Councilman Parent posted a notice on the NextDoor forum urging residents to email a form letter to fellow councilmembers asking that the farmer’s market be kept downtown. A resident sent us a reader’s editorial and a letter to the full Council and  City Manager complaining of bias.  

Parent also sent a media advisory announcing a press conference to be held at 5 p.m., before tonight’s meeting, which he plans to hold with Brian Beevers, who currently operates the farmer’s market along with the La Mesa Village Association. The media notification states,  “ Both support the current location and date of the Farmer’s Market.”


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LA MESA CHAMBER WITHDRAWS FARMERS MARKET PROPOSAL, ENDORSES GROSSMONT CENTER’S —BUT STAFF PUSHES TO KEEP MARKET DOWNTOWN

 

Updated July 23, 2019 with comments from Grossmont Center

By Miriam Raftery

July 22, 2019 (La Mesa) – At tomorrow night’s 6 p.m. meeting, the La Mesa City Council is expected to decide on the future of the city’s farmer’s market, following a rift in the community over the market’s location and who should run the popular event.

The city received four proposals, but one applicant, the La Mesa Chamber of Commerce, has withdrawn its bid and endorsed a proposal submitted by Grossmont Center. “The Chamber is all about serving our members and our community and that is why we took this path,” Chamber President and CEO Mary England told ECM in an email tonight.


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LA MESA FARMERS MARKET MAY END IN AUGUST UNLESS A NEW OPERATOR COMES FORWARD

 

 

By Miriam Raftery

May 19, 2019 (La Mesa) – Frustrated by a lack of compromise between local businesses for and against the Friday night farmers market in downtown La Mesa, the city council has voted unanimously to end its contract with the La Mesa Village Association to run the market.  Council will put out a request for proposals from other operators to potentially move the market to another location or a different day,or keep the same location and days, but with improvements to resolve the rift.

If no entity comes forward, East County’s longest running farmer’s market could end after July 31, when the LMVA contract runs out.


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RESIDENTS, BUSINESS OWNERS OFFER IDEAS ON LA MESA’S FARMERS MARKET

 
 
By Mike Allen
 
Photo, left:  Chris Gonzalez
 
March 1, 2019 (La Mesa) - After relocating the La Mesa Farmers Market from the Civic Center parking lot to La Mesa Boulevard last May, a lot of businesses on the main street of the Village cried foul, saying the Friday event was hurting their sales.

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LA MESA - MT. HELIX JULY ACTIVITIES

July 1, 2015 (La Mesa) – There is a lot of free summer entertainment in La Mesa this month, including concerts in the park, a movie under the stars, community theater and a walking club, not to mention a host of club activities for all ages and interests at the library.


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