Farmers markets serve the community

If you are looking for fresh produce, the Farmers Market located on F Street across from the sheriff's substation is where you should be on Wednesdays this summer. The Farmers' Market is open 4-8 p.m. every Wednesday until mid-August.

This last week's market had four vendors, and the Downtown Business Association is seeking additional vendors to participate in the market.

"We invite vendors to come and try us out and see how they like it," DBA Vice President Camilo Vasquez said. "They can just drop in, set up and do it for one time. We'd like to increase our vendors."

This week's vendors included From the Farmhouse, whose owner, April Verhoef explained that "My last name means 'from the farmhouse' in Dutch."

She had sprouted almond butter, which she said was the customers' favorite in sales when it's available. At this week's market she was selling several homemade jams.

"We raise and sell chickens, pigs and vegetables on our farm," said Verhoef. "Our pork has no antibiotics, no hormones, is locally raised and is given top-quality care and feed." Verhoef also added, "Everything we sell, we grow."

From the Farmhouse is located south of Shafter, on the west side of town. Verhoef said while making a regular batch of jam, she uses one and a half more cups of sugar than in her low-sugar jams "Most recipes call for two cups of sugar," she said. "I reduce the amount of sugar in all my jams. Nothing artificial goes into anything I make."

Elias Rivera, representing Giving Water Family Farms, had a booth of fresh produce. The company is located in Porterville and Delano.

Rivera has been with the company for five years. "I travel to many different places for the company," Rivera said. "We have markets in Ridgecrest, Morro Bay, Atascadero, Paso Robles and Bakersfield."

Pearl jewelry maker Lois Mayo has added a couple of items to her jewelry-making booth. "I now sell fish water and greeting cards," Mayo said. "The fish water is good for plants. I had a customer who had dead tomato plants and was able to revive all of them by watering with my fish water."

One of Mayo's friends creates the greeting cards, and she sells them for her friend. The cards are large and colorful.

Camilo Vasquez of Fat Uncle Farms had a table with flavored almonds to sell. Some of the flavors included cinnamon, spice-flavored, salted and unsalted.

For any questions about the farmers markets, more information is available from Vasquez at 661-699-6835.