The Ventura County Certified Farmers’ Market Association has opened a new Farmers’ Market at Moorpark College, an activity sponsored by the Moorpark College Foundation.
“With the current state budget situation hitting the community college hard, we need another source of support for our students now more than ever,” said Foundation Board Chair Dan Peate, who was student body president at Moorpark in the late 1990s and has been on the Foundation since 2002.
The market is located on the east side of Moorpark College in Parking Lot G at Campus Park Drive. The hours of operation are from 8 a.m. to 12 noon every Saturday. T
“We are so pleased to provide more shopping options for the local community,” said Karen Schott, Operations Manager for the Association. “We look forward to working with the Foundation to provide the community with interaction with our California farmers and the chance to become more acquainted with Moorpark College and its many wonderful programs and activities,” she said.
Approximately 25 certified farmers will participate in the new market along with several food vendors offering a wide array of fresh produce, honey, eggs, fresh-cut flowers, potted plants and more. In addition, the Foundation will provide weekly family fun activities and giveaways. Activities planned so far to occur over the first year are: projects
sponsored by the Ventura County Junior Master Gardener Program, animal
and endangered butterfly exhibits from the Moorpark College Zoo,
performances by college music and drama ensembles, a student ceramics
exhibition and sale and Raider football and basketball ticket
giveaways. Shoppers will be able to obtain a full list of monthly activities available at the market.
“We believe that an educational and green market will be a pleasant and welcome addition to the local neighborhood and emphasizes the college’s commitment to the environment and to the local food movement,” said Dr. Pam Eddinger, Moorpark College President.
The Ventura County Certified Farmers’ Market Association has been in existence since 1985 and continues to provide fresh produce directly from the fields to the table from the California farmers. The Moorpark Farmers’ Market joins the other markets in the grouping, which consists of two in the City of Ventura, one in Thousand Oaks and an additional market at College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita.
To participate, all farmers must raise, catch, gather, grow or otherwise produce the product they sell. Growers of all agricultural items are certified by their county agricultural commissioner by an on-site inspection and specific market permits.
For market information call 805-529-6266 or visit the website at www.vccfarmersmarkets.com.
For more information on the foundation, call 805-378-1431or visit the website at www.moorparkcollege.edu/found.
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