No Timetable on Start of Loma Alta Park Farmer's Market

The long-awaited county-run farmers' market at has been delayed because of a sore back.

That's the word from Al Evans of the County Parks and Recreation Department, who said Monday that the vendor contracted to run the market has backed out of the contract after injuring himself.

The market had been scheduled to start on Sunday April 24, but until the county finds a new vendor, there is no timetable on when it might begin, Evans said.

The market was set to be run by Rick Hernandez and Manny Hernandez, who ran the .  Evans said Rick Hernandez is the one who hurt his back.

The plan is to hold the market on the lower end of Loma Alta in a grassy area.  There is electricity in the park so no generators will need to be used, and vendors will not be permitted to drive their trucks onto the grass to unload their wares.

The farmers’ market has been in the work for months, and was originally scheduled to be held at .

 After that plan fell through after neighbors complained, the proposed venue changed to Loma Alta.

In the mean time, the Sacred Heart Church opened a market in January which was held twice before the Town Council voted to continue to pursue a market in Altadena.  After that, Rick Hernandez and Manny Hernandez pulled out of the Sacred Heart market in anticipation of competition from the Loma Alta Park.

The Altadena Urban Farmers' Market was also because of county permit issues and has not been held since February.