Corralitos Farm & Garden Market is Back

After months of battling a government suspension, the cut through the red tape and was back in operation Sunday.

It's a small market, but it caused a big ruckus. Three government agencies juggled paperwork and one man fought for the right to assemble small and macro farmers weekly to sell produce at the .

Wayne Miller started organizing the market last year.

“When I told people about it, everybody liked the idea, but they couldn’t see how we could do it because of the rules," Miller said. "We basically ended up being small enough that we are sort of exempted."

The market was in operation for about three months before the county's agriculture department put the kibosh on Miller’s gathering. Miller believes that someone called and complained about the market, possibly one of the larger, certified local markets.

The three government agencies involved finally came to a consensus and are allowing the market to operate within certain limits: The farmers must be local and Miller is required to post a sign indicating that the market is not a certified farmers market.

On Sunday, Miller was feeling victorious as he stood in the sunshine selling his leeks, bulb and baby fennel, green and red chard, and beets. 

"We’re limited in scope, and that’s what we want to be,” said Miller, who is no stranger to dealing with government agencies and the paperwork that goes along with them. Besides growing lovely vegetables, he also builds houses.

"We’re here just for local people. That’s the idea," Miller said of the market.

Brandon Faria of —a small, family farm that specializes in vegetables grown from seeds his grandparents brought with them when they immigrated from the Azores—was selling eggs from his eight chickens, walking stick kale, lemons, fresh rosemary and mint.

“From here on out, we’ll be doing it,” said Faria. “We should have some more farmers as the season picks up.”

Faria’s family has operated a backyard farm for years to feed themselves. He decided to expand it so that he could sell produce at local markets a few years ago.

One of Faria’s customers asked him what the walking stick kale was, and how to use it.

“The traditional Portuguese recipe is cooking a stew with beef and potatoes. But you can sauté it, stir fry it, eat it in salads—whatever your preference is,” Faria explained.

The market had been scheduled to reopen the last weekend of March, but heavy rains and flooding damaged farmers' crops. Sunday was its first day back.

Nancy Harris, who lives on Eureka Canyon Road in Corralitos was one of many customers pleased to see the market return. 

“I was so sorry when I thought they weren’t going to be able to be here anymore," Harris said. "I am very excited and happy because I think it’s a wonderful thing. I like to get chard, fresh eggs, lettuce, a lot of different things. I’m really happy to be able to look forward to this every week.”

Classical guitarist Salvador Magallon, known as Chaba, is often found at the market, adding to its quaint ambiance.

The market invites small-scale farmers to sell their produce every Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

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