A Second Serving of the Farmers' Market for Campbell

On April 5, Campbell will have a chance to shop for their fresh veggies at the market twice a week.

Bay Area Markets will bring to Campbell a new farmers' market on Thursdays, beginning in April through October 4 at the , in the parking lot facing Campbell Avenue. The market will go from 3:00-7:00 p.m. in the months of April and October and 4:00-8:00 p.m. May through September at the new seasonal certified farmers market.

This is a farmers' market is run by local farmers out of Morgan Hill, says Market Operator Johnna Borello, and will be the fifth location for the organization.

Other farmers' markets run by Bay Area Markets include the Central Christian Church Farmers' Market in San Jose, the DeAnza College's Farmers' Market in Cupertino, the Saratoga Village Market Place Farmers' Market in Saratoga, the Capitola Mall Farmers' Market in Capitola and the Cochrane Plaza Farmers' Market in Morgan Hill.

Campbell's downtown farmers' market on Sundays is run by Urban Village.

Borello says that most cities have both a weekend and weekday market, but Campbell did not.

"The Sunday market is so successful but it is getting very crowded," she says. "Our goal is not to be in competition with other farmers' markets and farmers' markets associations."

When she began the process to find a location, she learned that the Pruneyard was actively searching for vendors.

"It was ideal," Borello says.

The Campbell Planning Commission approved a conditional use permit to allow the market on Nov. 22, 2011 with a one-year condition of approval. Depending on the outcome after the initial first year, the community development director will evaluate whether there’s adverse impacts due to the new market and either extend the approval of the market for four years or, if adverse impacts are found allow the use to expire.

Although demonstrations of food preparation will be available at the new market, it will not have on-site food vendors.

The market will utilize the 17,850 square-foot parking lot and will utilize 44 parking spots.

This new market will have approximately 40 vendors compared to the downtown Campbell farmers' market’s more than 100 and will be contained to the Pruneyard Office Tower parking lot as opposed to the downtown's market, which spans three blocks.

Attached is a list of all the farmers' markets in Santa Clara County.