San Benito County residents looking for the sweet taste of summer in the form of tangy cherries, sweet strawberries and organic chicken need look no further than their own downtown.
The Hollister Downtown Certified Farmers’ Market opens for the season this week and runs from 3 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. every Wednesday through Sept. 30. The event returned to its widely popular location on San Benito Street this year, a shift from its former location on Fifth Street two years ago.
“I think it was a great move,” said Market Manager Tammy Jackson. “I was actually worried it was going to be a little bit too big and spread out but it was great.”
A few new vendors will be among this year’s line up including soap makers. One of the businesses creates a homemade laundry detergent and another sells a sudsy product made only from craft beers, Jackson explained.
According to the market coordinator, about 70 vendors will line the city’s main street on opening day, a number that is similar to the prior year, she said. During the busiest day of last year’s market, the event attracted 98 vendors, Jackson said.
Other likely additions this year include a special wine and beer tasting during the first Wednesday of each month. This feature is still pending permit approvals but might start in June, she said.
“We’re working on getting a wine and beer tasting,” Jackson said.
There will also be a knife sharpener who can restore kitchenware, scissors and shovels to their proper cutting edge levels.
“We’re excited about that because we haven’t had one for a while,” Jackson said.
Of course, several of the classic vendors will be returning including Paul Hain, who raises organic chickens —a la natural—without antibiotics or growth hormones on a 20 acre parcel in rural Tres Pinos.
Joining Hain, will be producers of honey, fresh vegetables and olive oil. Phil Foster Ranches, which farms 295 acres in Hollister and San Juan Bautista and sells to about 25 retail stores including Whole Foods Markets, will also be sharing fresh wares at the market.
For more on opening day, check back to SanBenitoCountyToday.com.
