Posted on February 26 at 1:33 p.m.

I have seen them at the market for years. Everytime I have asked they say, "Yes we are organic." Perfect, huge berries all year around. If it seems too good to be true it probably is.

On Erica Rodriguez of Rodriguez Farms

Posted on February 5 at 5:19 p.m.

Please do a search for "jerry brown +peach farmers" and you can read how Gov. Brown in 1977 set the stage for farmers' markets (LA Times article is recommended.) Ironically they were created to help low-income urban areas have access to fresh veggies at affordable prices, after numerous supermarkets were moving from these areas. While they still offer some of the freshest produce, the part about affordable prices is obviously broken. As markets (not just farmers, but all markets) limit the products sold and producers selling them prices go up. Basic supply and demand. With only farmers on the board making decisions about who is allowed to compete with them, I can't help but think this is the reason why the prices are soooo high. Good luck farmers, you are fighting the GOOD fight.

On Farmers Market Harvests Discontent

Posted on February 3 at 10:35 a.m.

I commend these farmers for their choice of vocation (organic farming) and for standing up to forces larger and more powerful than them. It was this sort of courage that that gave farmers in Calif. the right to sell directly to the public in the '70's. In case you do not know the history, peach farmers saw the wholesale prices drop to record lows that made it unprofitable to harvest their crops. And the laws at the time required produce to go through a middleman before it could reach the public. No direct marketing, no farmers markets. So a large group of these farmers chose to pick this unprofitable crop and dump tons of beautiful and very perishable peaches on the front lawn of the capital building in Sacramento. It did not take long before the stench of those rotting peaches, as well as, the stench of "good old boy" regulations to reach Jerry Brown's office. Within a month the rules were changed to allow farmers to sell their goods directly to the public. Thus, farmers markets were born. So while we all love our markets, we must support those that try to fix things that are wrong or unjust. Without such people, we would never of had farmers markets in the first place. Good luck with your lawsuit.

On Farmers Market Harvests Discontent