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Home > Desert Oracle Radio > Yucca Valley is getting a Farmer’s Market, but Town Council is still working out the details
Podcast: Desert Oracle Radio
Episode:

Yucca Valley is getting a Farmer’s Market, but Town Council is still working out the details

Category: Society & Culture
Duration: 00:00:00
Publish Date: 2025-10-24 16:48:24
Description:

Yucca Valley’s recently unveiled Founder’s Plaza will be getting a Farmer’s Market but the exact day, time, and mix of vendors and food trucks is still up for debate at the Yucca Valley Town Council. In fact, they spent over an hour on it during Tuesday’s meeting, along with two impromptu presentations from the two vendors who submitted proposals for the not yet named farmer’s market.

The impetus is from a community survey given out in 2023 according to Deputy Town Manager Frank Luckino, who introduced the topic and vendors to councilmembers.

The first proposal was given by Lori Herbel who runs the Farmer’s Market in Joshua Tree and has over 20 years of experience running them in Southern California. Her proposal is for a year-round market held on Wednesdays from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., giving midweek local shoppers an opportunity to restock. 

Alexander Vallejos is part of the team that submitted a proposal. He currently runs four different farmer’s markets in San Bernardino County. They are proposing a Friday market 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and held from January through April, though they said they are open to holding it year round. 

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There were a lot of discussions about wind and other technicalities, but the main discourse was over the day it would be held and the amount of food trucks that the market would allow. The Town had previously discussed and decided on a ratio of approximately 75% produce and farm-based food with 25% other vendors – and councilmember Jim Schooler said that the ratio shouldn’t be part of the discussion that evening and that food trucks could cut into local businesses’ customer base.

Jim Schooler: “So that’s a priority to me, is that we support the businesses in Old Town and not compete with them. At first I wasn’t, well, let me just say, I am on board with our ’75/25 vision.’ We had endless discussions about that.”

That reflected the majority of concerns over food trucks or vendors that offer “grab and go” food… they could cannibalize businesses around the new Founder’s Plaza which councilmembers say goes against the whole idea of getting people to park and walk around old town.

Both vendors were asked questions about that 75/25 ratio and the day and time that were proposed. After an hour of discussion and questions there wasn’t much clear consensus but Deputy Town Manager Frank Luckino managed to reset things.

Frank Luckino: “So I think as I hear the numbers, it seems to be three that prefer little to no food trucks. And I actually heard a change on that (the proposed day) to a midweek.”

Ultimately, Yucca Valley town staff will take the discussion back to the vendors and return to the Council with clearer recommendations.

Tuesday’s “monster” October Yucca Valley Town Council meeting was over four hours long – we’ll have updates on the Animal Shelter and the extensive public comments on your Z107.7 Saturday News.

The post Yucca Valley is getting a Farmer’s Market, but Town Council is still working out the details appeared first on Z107.7 FM Joshua Tree.

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