One mile – a twenty minute walk, or a fifteen minute bike ride. That’s how far my house is from my local farmers market. The Larchmont Farmers Market.
Every Sunday for as long as I can remember, my mom and I would take a short walk to the Larchmont Farmers Market. I quickly fell in love with talking to the farmers behind their array of fresh vegetables and learning about their farms and what produce was in season.
As I got older, I found joy in venturing out west to visit the many other farmer’s markets in Los Angeles. I would compare produce, notice the different vendors, and explore what made each market unique. However, I soon realized that if I ventured out east and into inner city LA there were no farmers markets and no fresh produce.
I began researching and soon realized that 54.4 million Americans live in low-income areas with poor access to healthy food. The Larchmont Farmers Market that I have grown up walking to and loving was a luxury that most Angelenos and Americans don’t have.
Healthful food and its many benefits are not a reality for many families in the world. In low income communities, individuals have greater access to convenience stores than grocery stores with fresh produce.
In the United States, citizens have free access to public education, road maintenance, law enforcement and more. However, one’s access to healthy produce and food is where health care should start.
According to Health Line, only 28% of Americans say they have easy access to healthy foods. The first step in improving the food crisis is ensuring that all individuals have access to fresh produce because of the important role a person’s consumption of healthy foods has in preventing chronic diseases and supporting good health.
Now I believe that every community should have a Larchmont farmers market. To find your local farmers market view this guide on the Los Angeles Magazine.
Rose Sarner is a senior at the Archer School for Girls in Brentwood. She enjoys shopping at the Larchmont Farmers Market with her family, playing tennis and biking and walking around her Hancock Park neighborhood. Â
Thank Rose Sarner for calling attention to the disparities that persist in our city. Yes, access to good, fresh, healthy foods is absent in many neighborhoods in this city. It would be a great step if the city could encourage farmers markets to serve neighborhoods that are considered food deserts.