Fall-themed decorations welcome island residents and visitors to the Coronado Certified Farmers Market on a sunny Tuesday afternoon, with a backdrop of skyscrapers from downtown San Diego visible across the bay.
The market, which is open Tuesdays, has provided a rural shopping experience in the city ever since Mary Hillbrecht, a third-generation Escondido farmer, launched the idea three decades ago.
“I have to thank Mary,” said Coronado resident Elvira Moore. “It used to be bigger, but… I’m still grateful that they do come, because otherwise, you’d have to go over to San Diego to get the farm-fresh food.”
“All the vendors here are just high quality, and I don’t think I’ve ever been disappointed,” added Coronado resident Paula Bingham-Couture. “One of my most favorite things here – and I buy them every week when in season – are squash blossoms.”
Hillbrecht said the farmers market first came to town in 1989, initially located on C Avenue by McP’s Irish Pub. Later, the market operated out of an empty parking lot which became home to the Coronado Police Station. Finally, the market was established at the Ferry Landing in July 1991.
“We brought two cows across on the ferry. And our theme was ‘The cows are coming home,’” said Hillebrecht, who continues to run the market. “The ferry landing’s been wonderful.”
Bringing farmers markets to San Diego
Hillebrecht said she and her siblings help manage her family’s century-old farm in Escondido.
“My generation was just getting out of school, out of college, and we were all available to work,” said Hillebrecht. “That’s pretty much what made the difference. We grew 40 different commodities on 500 acres.”
Around the 80s, Hillebrecht’s family had a farm stand in Escondido where they sold their produce.
“We had to sell off all that,” added Hillebrecht.
Hillebrecht, who graduated from Cal Poly Pomona with a degree in agricultural business, said her dad encouraged her to sell at a farmers market in Santa Monica while in college.
“He’s thinking that they’re real close,” said Hillebrecht, chuckling about the 50-mile distance.
Hillebrecht said she started selling at markets in Los Angeles at the same time she was active in the state with the California Farm Bureau’s young farmers and ranchers committee, as well as the state’s department of food and agriculture.
“The state started this direct marketing program for farmers with the farmers markets,” recalled Hillebrecht. “I’d been going to the ones in L.A. and looking around saying, ‘Isn’t there something we can do in San Diego?’”
Hillebrecht said she started with a market in Pacific Beach, then settled on Coronado in 1989, but struggled with venues at first.
“It’s really hard in this town to close a street,” noted Hillebrecht. “It’s not hard to do it once. It’s really hard to do it week to week-to-week-to-week. You’re going to inconvenience too many people.”
Eventually, Hillebrecht said the public relations person for the Coronado Ferry Landing invited her to host the produce-only market where it has been for the last 34 years.
“Families have been buying from us this whole time and that helps,” added Hillebrecht. “But who lives here has changed … I think there are people here that don’t know we’re here, that have moved here, and just haven’t identified us as a place they could come.”
In October, Hillebrecht said the market’s winter crops include pomegranates, persimmons, cauliflower, cabbage and strawberries. She said the market has citrus, apples, avocados and tomatoes year-round.
“We grew it, try it, taste it, talk to the person that grew it,” said Hillebrecht about the produce available from over half a dozen farms. “Learn about it. There’s a reason to buy something that’s fresh and local. Tastes better, lasts longer.”
The market in Coronado falls under the Certified Farmers’ Markets in the San Diego County. It is subject to inspections by the Department of Agriculture, Weights and Measures, and products are certified as local grown, according to the agency’s website.
The Coronado Certified Farmers’ Market is open every Tuesday from 2:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Coronado Ferry Landing, on the compass near First Street and B Avenue.
