chapter nine: prosperity market- it’s a farmers market on wheels!

This week’s blog post is a little different, it’s not a how to tutorial or fashion related. It’s about one of my favorite new and upcoming farmers market. Prosperity market! If you follow me on instagram, I’m sure you’ve seen me post about it on my stories. I am so obsessed with this concept and idea that I had to share it with you all. As you can see from the title, Prosperity market is a farmers market on wheels. I KNOW!! so cool! It’s so new it’s only had two pop ups. I was able to attend both, I loved it so much I had to dedicate a whole blog post to it. Believe me when I tell you I love this market so much, it’s such an experience for more reasons than one and you just leave so happy and full!

I sat down with one of the co founders Kara Still and asked her all the questions for you. I hope you enjoy this post as much as I did writing it, and I hope it turns you into Prosperity market fans.

After binge watching every show on netflix and reading every book, and all the civil unrests surrounding George Floyd’s murder. Kara and Carmen began talking about how and what can they do more? What can do they that will leave a lasting impact. Everyone was talking about BLM, supporting black business, highlighting black influencers and creators on social media. All that was great, but they felt it wasn’t enough to leave an impact on society, they wanted to create something that would leave an economic impact, something that would still be around after all the support or noise dies down. They began bouncing off ideas and the one topic that they always circled back to was food and at that time was they were both only eating or ordering food from black owned restaurants.

Kara lives in North Hollywood and Carmen lives in Larchmont, both areas that don’t necessarily have many black owned restaurants and in order to do so you had to drive far to be able to find some. That sparked the idea of having a farmers market on wheels. They began researching and looking for black businesses and black farmers and it became more apparent to them that they were on the right track with this idea when they began searching for black farmers and didn’t find as many as they hoped. They continued their research and found out that in the 1920s there were about hundreds of thousands of farmers, but through redlining and systemic racism that number is now down to 1.4%. This made them realize how important Prosperity market would be, not just to them but to black farmers and the black community. Alongside that was the conversation about how some areas don’t have access to fresh, healthy affordable produce.

This was when the two pillars of Prosperity market were born, one to be a platform that supports black farmers and black business and provide them a bigger customer reach and two to bring healthy affordable food to areas that don’t have access to any of that. Hence the on wheels part. Pretty genius if you ask me!

Prosperity market is currently fundraising for their truck that will help bring this farmers market on wheels idea to life. Their plan is to get a 48 foot trailer. have the front part of it be a food truck and the rest of the trailer would be the market where you would be able to go inside and shop like in a grocery store. The idea is to still continue having the pop up they’ve been having, but also have the truck driving around Los Angeles during the week providing food and groceries. Not only are they expanding their target market but also helping promote these farmers and expanding their customer reach.

I MEAN HOW CUTE AND COOL IS THAT!!!

Prosperity market is a 3 day event, that takes place at the end of every month. It starts on Friday and lasts through Sunday.

Friday is their virtual farmer’s market where you’re able to shop all the vendors and buy online and pick it up at the pop up location on Saturday. This started due to covid and making people feel safe while they shop and also expanding it to everyone who can’t make the market in person.

Saturday is the in person market. It’s a pop up location that changes every month. The first one took place in Inglewood, the second one was in Melrose and this month’s pop up will be in Malibu!! which I am very excited about. At the pop up you’ll find fresh produce, delicious meals, refreshing juices and lemonade, coffee, authentic goods, herbs, eggs, seeds to plant, vegan goods, all incredible delicious things. You get to meet the business owners and farmers, hear their stories and try their product.

Sunday is the free produce giveaway. Yup you heard that right, Free produce. Prosperity market gives out at least 300 produce boxes every month in South LA. These boxes are packed with great healthy organic goods, that unfortunately some communities don’t have access too. What a way to give back !!

Prosperity market is an all black market, with the sole purpose of highlighting all these black businesses and farmers, so if you are one or know of anyone, I highly recommend reaching out and getting a spot with them.

I speak from experience when I say this farmers market is like no other. I’ve been to both pop ups and I’ve had the best time. It feels intimate in a way. You get to know these vendors and their product and how it came about, they are so friendly and kind. I get excited for the next one just so I can see the vendors and see what new things they have but also share what I did with their product. A few of my favorite vendors there are : Farmer Ken, Ah he has the most beautiful lavender, pineapple mints ( yes, they smell incredible), eggs, tea.

Chef Brandi makes the most delicious vegan pizza, it melts in your mouth and the layers of flavor, my god. I can’t wait for this month’s pop up so I can have some. I wish I had her on speed dial!

Holistic divine innovations makes the best smelling soaps and most delicious elderflower tea! and all his proceeds go to helping the community gardens.

The Compton community garden has amazing produce, they also have a cook book with recipes for all the produce they sell. I bought my first ever collard greens from them and ended up making collard green rolls and they were delicious, I can’t wait to go back and buy some more. I also bought eggplants and green onions. My eyes are on the edible flowers! I’m definitely buying those this month

Another favorite of mine is Misha’s cream cheese, omg who knew vegan cream cheese can taste so good! I stop by their booth every time and stock up for the month.

I’ve gotten to know and love these vendors and without prosperity market I wouldn’t have known they even existed. That’s the power of this market!

I hope to see you guys at one of their pop ups. Trust me you won’t regret it.

Prosperity Market isn’t just a farmers market, it’s a community, it’s an experience.

Remember they’re fundraising for their Truck, Click on the image below for all info on their website!