NoHo Arts District Farmers Market Brings Community Together

The last Saturday morning was something I’d been longing for in my neighborhood for quite a while: Shoppers shuttling around on their bicycles, fresh strawberries and heirloom tomatoes from local growers, and a myriad of brunch options. Most importantly, though, it was the chance to see my neighbors and feeling a sense of community at the grand opening of the .

On one end of the street, the seven-member Masanga Marimba Ensemble played sunny Latin American music while people danced ( of the grand opening's sights and sounds). On the other end, kids jumped around inside giant inflatable moon bounces. In between both ends, vendors gave free samples of cicharrones, Hawaiian barbequed chicken, gourmet cakes, specialty jams and more. It’s a good thing I came on an empty stomach, because breakfast was definitely served. After tasting Dolce Monachelli’s luscious Italian butter rum cake, a few handfuls of kettle corn, and every type of gourmet Afghan pesto spread from the Bolani booth, I barely had room for my breakfast crepe.

As I browsed the variety of booths from organic soaps to vintage clothing, I could hear someone cheerily greeting market customers.

“Welcome to our market!” Eddie Jimenez declared to shoppers as he handed out free reusable shopping bags on Saturday. By 11:30 a.m. Jimenez, president of the NoHo Farmers Market, said over 600 bags had been given away since the market opened at 8. But bringing the market to the community hasn’t been so easy, he said. It’s been , said Jimenez, and there have plenty of obstacles.

The idea to have a farmers market in NoHo came when business partner Jose Hernandez, Mid-Town NoHo Neighborhood Council member Carol Wyner and Jimenez “put our heads together” and decided to finally get the ball rolling. Originally, they’d wanted the market to take place on Lankershim Boulevard, but the Department of Transportation deemed the main street too busy.

Then there was the task of promotion: Jimenez said he and the team took a guerrilla marketing approach and distributed 20,000 flyers to the surrounding areas. Judging by the number of people who’d already arrived before noon, it seemed to work. I’d actually found out about the market when a flyer was left on my car.

Connie Torres and her mother, Consuelo, bought vegetables at the grand opening. They decided to check out the market after they too had gotten a flyer on their car last Thursday, they said, and they liked what the market had to offer.

So far there’s “been an outpouring support of the community” and many people have been asking how they can help and volunteer, said Jimenez. 

As a Generation Y-er who grew up as self-service stations at grocery stores and automated machines at everyday places became more prevalent, I've been craving a local spot with more character and one-on-one interaction than a Fresh & Easy checkout stand (don't get me wrong, I'd still love one for NoHo). And though I cherish the fact that I can get two weeks' worth of produce at Vallarta for less than five dollars, I yearn for a local place where I can be face-to-face with the person who grows my food and where I can interact with fellow residents. Much like how I often romanticise the 1950s' seemingly "Leave It To Beaver"-esque, know-your-mail-carrier way of life, perhaps I'm being nostalgic for an idealistic era I never experienced first-hand. But as I left the farmers market after handing my money directly to the people who grew my tomatoes and baked my Italian rum cake, I'm hoping it will allow me to step out of my bubble for once and feel as if I'm actually someone else's neighbor.

This Saturday, I'm thinking of walking the two blocks to the farmers market again. Now if they could only get a local vendor with a darn good cup of coffee...

The NoHo Arts District Farmers Market takes place every Saturday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 5200 Bakman Avenue between Magnolia Boulevard and Weddington Avenue.