The Hollywood farmers market, along with several others in LA country, including Watts, LA Central, Echo Park and Atwater-to name a few, is managed by SEE-LA (Sustainable Economic Enterprises of Los Angeles). SEE-LA was founded on the premise of economic development in low-income communities. They are a non-profit that works to bring healthy food education and nutrition programs to under-served communities by organizing such programs as Farmers Kitchen and Bring a Farmer to Your School. These are fairly new endeavors that revolve around the east side farmers markets that SEE-LA solely manages. These markets, like most farmers markets, bring local farmers and artisans from around the area to centralized locations. Shoppers from all over LA county come to these markets to experience the scene, taste the food from restaurants in the neighborhood and buy arts and crafts from independent craftsmen and women. The main focal point of these markets is of course the produce, which is seasonally plentiful and varied.
Non of the other markets managed by SEE-LA are quit as large and diverse. The other markets, such as the one in Watts, has fewer farmers and very little craft venders. This revolves around the fact that the farmers simply make more money at the larger Hollywood farmers market accessible to more affluent consumers. The farmers are driven by the $. There are fees and other extraneous expenses associated with participating in the markets that don’t even out if they don’t make enough money at the markets to justify the trip and entry fees.
This leads me to think about marketing and SEE-LA’s role in local economic development. I would like to see more hard work done in areas that really need it, areas that have few grocery stores and little knowledge of healthy foods. Hollywood, Echo Park and Atwater all are gentrifying areas that have seen incredible growth and increased food services long before SEE-LA came into the picture. Watts, on the other hand, is still in turmoil-struggling to improve local economic development and in need of more community work. I hope to see SEE-LA be apart of future successful redevelopment in these LA neighborhoods-bringing healthy food to food insecure residents, teaching them about small businesses through farmers markets and making it easier for farmers to sell to these communities. Though they have already begun this process, I encourage them to do more and stick to their original premise.
