New Santa Rosa farmers market open on Standish Avenue

  • 2014-06-20
Although the newly formed Southwest Santa Rosa farmers market opened without much fanfare or flyer printing on the first Thursday in June, organizers of the market hope that it’s the beginning of something much bigger, according to The Press Democrat.

The California Parenting Institute (CPI) is the managing force behind the new market, which does accept both CalFresh and WIC EBT cards, like others in the county.

However, the event also has a program – funded by a number of private donors and grants – called Market Match, which provides as much as five extra dollars to those who purchase other food at the market. CPI intends to continue to run the program as long as funds continue to be available.

Tiffany Montgomery at CPI said the organization felt that certain parts of the community were not served by any farmers’ markets and set out to change that fact. Speaking further, she said the market is committed to making local produce available at an affordable price.

According to Montgomery, organizers contacted local farmers and vendors to sell at the market. The available items will change in part from week to week. As the market accepts CalFresh, all farmers present need to be certified through the County of Sonoma.

Recent reports have indicated growth in the county’s agricultural output; its annual yield at the end of 2013 was calculated to stand at $848 million.