Stevie St. JohnFarmers Market: East Los Angles Farmers Market
When: Saturdays, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
Where: 4801 East 3rd St., near the East LA/Civic Center gold line Metro station
What: A small market with about 25 vendors.
Who Sells Here: Produce vendors include: Castellanos Farm, Manna Farm, Gaytan Farm, Ibarra Farm, Gama Farm and Perez Farm.
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Who Buys Here: Mostly east Los Angeles residents shopping close to home; some buyers come from surrounding areas.
Go To Get: Produce is the main draw, with a few vendors selling pre-made food or non-food items such as clothing and jewelry.
While You're There: Grab a tamale or some roasted nuts, relax in the grass next to the water and people-watch at Belvedere Lake Park.
Onions, carrots, celery, tomatoes and other produce are available at the East Los Angeles market, a small market dominated by farm-operated booths. Strawberries are in season now, said market coordinator Karla Vasquez, who said nopales – a cactus commonly used in Mexican cuisine – are also available.
See also: The Ultimate L.A. Farmers Market Guide + Google Map!
Vasquez said that the market – which launched in 2006, and has been in its current location for a few years now – provides a place to get quality fruits and veggies in an area where they are otherwise hard to find.
The market is run by VELA (Volunteers of East Los Angeles), which also operates markets in La Puente and Whittier. According to the website, the market was started because of “to the disproportionate numbers of diabetes incidence in East Los Angeles, to the prominent scarcity of fresh produce in the area and the need for more business opportunities during a waning economy.”
east L.A. market produce; Credit: Stevie St. John
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