It’s early on a Sunday morning and Ojai Valley School junior Sarah Silver is pushing pastry.
Around her is a flurry of activity – Ojai Certified Farmers’ Market veterans are selling homemade tamales, organic vegetables, and goat milk soap.
Compared to them, Sarah is a rookie. But you could never tell.
She reels people into her stand, asking about their day and offering samples of blackberry and apple pie. She knows the prices off the top of her head and expertly rattles off the names of pies and jams.
Though she’s still in high school, she handles the job with the proficiency of a seasoned pro.
“I really enjoy working at the Farmers’ Market,” Sarah said. “I meet new people every weekend; I also get the regulars that come back and buy pie every week. I get to talk to them and get to know people. It’s really fun.”
Farmers’ markets generally take up a block or two, and are crammed full of a variety of goods.
Many of them sell fresh produce, others hawk everything from homemade gelato to honey, soap, and locally produced olive oil.
But what’s most important about these cornerstones of the community is that they serve as town squares, places where people meet and mingle, and catch up on the latest gossip.
The vendors are in the middle of it all, providing the attraction and making it all fall perfectly into place.
No one knows how many high schoolers take part in this process, but on any given Sunday you’re sure to find a few scattered among the kiosks.
“I like having the high school crowd down there,” said market manager Cynthia Korman. “They bring their friends, help get more people into eating healthy when they’re younger, start out right. I appreciate that part, and [they] help support the farmers.”
Chaparral High School senior Liam Brennan has been working at the McGrath Farms stand for about a year, selling produce for his family’s farm. He chose to start working at the Farmers’ Market because it was a job he didn’t have to apply for.
“It is interesting to see all the different people who go there,” Liam said. “You learn a lot of random facts about the food, and every once in a while I meet new people or see someone I know.”
A few stalls up the way, OVS sophomore Ally Feiss is a seasoned Farmers’ Market peddler by comparison.
She has been working for Givens Farms at the Farmers’ Market for two years. Her sister, Asia, worked for the organic grower toward the end of her high school years, and got Ally the job when she left for college.
During the summers, the two of them work together, masterly informing the steady stream of customers about the different types of fruits and vegetables.
Ally readily gives up her Sundays to make some extra cash, and she loves the side benefit of getting free food. It also helps that she only has to work once a week, allowing her to focus on her schoolwork and sports.
“I like working at the Farmers’ Market because it gives me opportunity to meet and interact with different people along with having a responsibility and making money at the same time,” Ally said. “It’s a fun place to work; it helps my math skills and keeps me on my feet.”
Ben Cohen, a Nordhoff High School senior, works with Sarah at Marcie’s Pies, molding his sales pitches to perfection. He started working for Jimenez Farms, which operates Marcie’s Pies, about two years ago after he got the job through a friend who worked at the same stand but was leaving for college.
“I have gained a greater appreciation for the amount of work that goes into getting produce to the market,” Ben said. “After working there for a few years, I have begun to recognize the different types of people that go to the market, and [I] try to tailor my sales pitch to who they are.”
Sarah Silver got into the Farmers’ Market action for different reasons.
Needing to make a little extra cash, she began inquiring around town about different job opportunities. When she learned of the opening at the pie stand, she jumped at the opportunity.
“You only have to work Sunday mornings, so it works out with school,” Sarah said. “It’s also a really nice and easy fun job that pays enough for a high school student.”