Letter: Why close down local farm stands?
Open letter to San Luis Obispo County Environmental Health Services:
I just heard your department is actively closing farm stands. One specifically in mind is the farm stand at Charolais & River Road, just south of Paso Robles city limits where I live 5 minute walk to this farm stand. Where I can get the most freshest & quality berries, tomatoes, onions, veggies etc than any other store in town most any day of the week during the growing season. Have you ever tried, you cannot compare these with super market produce that has been in warehouses for at least days if not more, before it reaches the shelf.
I have just read the county farm stand rules 2 page document online, sounds to me that the weekly & bi-weekly “Farmers Markets” in the area, Paso Robles, Templeton, Atascadero & others are also in violation that the farm stands do not reside near or on the producing farm. By the way, those commercial Farmers Markets are like tourist attractions. And how does the onsite food preparation vendors, and vendors offering samples not get their hands slapped for not providing washing facilities and restrooms for their employees as the county rules state?
Back to my local Farm Stand at Charolais & River Road, which I understand the county wants to close down by the coming Monday, is having a petition signed by customers, which I have signed, is requesting to stay open the reminder of the this growing season. I imagine hopefully this will give them some time to find resources to prepare conforming facilities, if feasible, for the next year. Thou, the high cost of maintaining a business, a produce/farm stand has little chance of surviving when the county steps in.
So if this stand goes down, where will I find those local grown juicy sweet bright strawberries & tomatoes?
Respectfully,
Leon Vaicius
Paso Robles, CA
