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<\/a>The now open farmers market is held weekly on Wednesdays, noon\u20134 p.m. in the front parking lot of Kaiser Zion Medical Center, 4647 Zion Ave. in Grantville.<\/p>\n
Although the plan to open a farmers market at the hospital had been in the works for several years, it was only after Kaiser opened its new San Diego Medical Center in Kearney Mesa that it became possible.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe just didn\u2019t have room when we had all of our patients coming to one hospital,\u201d said Jim Malone, chief administrative officer for Kaiser Permanente San Diego. \u201cThe parking lot was full so it was really difficult to find space to do it. Now that we have the two hospitals this one isn\u2019t as impacted.\u201d<\/p>\n When most people think of farmers markets, they picture a blocked off street with vendors lining the middle of the road, or perhaps a grassy park area with booths \u2014 but what about a hospital parking lot?<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s really not as novel an idea as you\u2019d think. We\u2019ve been working on this for a few years. A lot of the Kaiser Permanente facilities have farmers markets around Southern California,\u201d Malone said, adding that Kaiser farmers markets have been very successful and some have been operating for over 10 years.<\/p>\n \u201cKaiser Permanente tries to promote health and wellness so it goes right along with our mission in trying to bring along a lot of good healthy food to our communities \u2014 that\u2019s really one of main reasons why we do it,\u201d he said. \u201cPlus, all our physicians and staff can come out on their break and buy some great, fresh vegetables and healthy kinds of food.\u201d<\/p>\n Healthy, natural food was a theme of the grand opening during presentations by hospital administrators like Finley and Malone, as well as Councilmember Scott Sherman, who lives just four blocks away from the hospital. Sherman thanked Kaiser for opening its parking lot and shared why he is a fan of farmers markets.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve always been a gardener. I have my plot at the San Carlos Community Garden and I sponsor the urban agriculture incentive zones where we bring community gardens into neighborhoods and give property owners tax incentives to give up a piece of land for a community garden,\u201d he said. \u201cSo, I love seeing what\u2019s being brought here. It\u2019s perfect for the hospital and the tie in for healthy living.\u201d<\/p>\n Market manager Brian Beevers of Brian\u2019s Farmers Markets said that he was given \u201cstrict direction from Kaiser\u201d as well as his own \u201cpickiness\u201d to provide the market with the best produce he could find.<\/p>\n \u201cWe wanted some really healthy food to represent a place of health and so that\u2019s why the vendors that we have here were specifically chosen,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n There are currently 20 vendors at the market offering a mix of fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, hummus, hot food, flowers, plants, and some arts and crafts. More may be on the way.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have space for more vendors. We can definitely stretch out a little bit further,\u201d Beevers said. \u201cWe can probably fit another 15 vendors in here so it would be a nice mid-size market.\u201d<\/p>\n That would be good news for local residents Lindsay Hangos and Dom Mitchell who live near the hospital and were excited to learn that a farmers market was opening in their neighborhood.<\/p>\n \u201cNow I don\u2019t have to drive all the way to Hillcrest. I\u2019m all about the vegetables, nuts and plant-based food,\u201d Hangos said, adding that the midday hours the market is open doesn\u2019t bother her because Wednesday is her day off.<\/p>\n Carmelo Martinez, a vendor from Heritage Family Farms that sells oranges, citrus, avocados, and exotic fruits like passion fruit, is optimistic about the success of the market, even though he conceded that the midday hours of operation will make it difficult for some people to visit.<\/p>\n \u201cWell it seems like unusual farmers market hours, but it might work since there are patients getting appointments and getting off and the employees themselves at Kaiser,\u201d he said. \u201cSo, we might have some sort of traffic flow \u2014 it might work for us.\u201d<\/p>\n Tonya Gatsen, one of Kaiser Zion\u2019s approximately 3,000 employees, said she will be a regular shopper.<\/p>\n \u201cI love farmers markets. I get some veggies to make dinner, get fresh flowers for the week,\u201d Gatsen said, adding that she also loves having more lunch options from the hot food vendors.<\/p>\n Although the midday hours and location make the market ideal for Kaiser, it is still meant to serve the broader community.<\/p>\n \u201cI would encourage all the people in the community to come out. [The market] is not just for Kaiser Permanente. I want everyone to know this is open to anyone who wants to come,\u201d Malone said.<\/p>\n