Farmers Market Returning to Mission Viejo

What's the difference between a supermarket peach and a farmers market peach?

Verge Hagopian believes there's a big difference. That's why this man who spent 40 years teaching English at will operate a farmer's market in Mission Viejo every Friday morning, beginning in January 2012 next to the library. The plan was unanimously approved Monday by the .

It's actually his second market. He opened the first one in Rancho Santa Margarita last year.

Hagopian is concerned about opening a new market in the present economy.

"I'm worried about the Great Depression," he said. "I talked to a manager of (a local supermarket). He said, 'Verge, you're going to open a farmers market. Are you crazy?' He said, 'I've been here 28 years, and I didn't make my quota last year.' Three months later he was gone."

But the former teacher says he wants his neighbors to eat healthy food. And the quality of the produce makes the financial risk worth it.

Supermarkets, he says, just don't provide tasty produce.

"Supermarkets get green produce," he said. "They have to ship them. Some are shipped correctly, others are not. And they're picked green. If they're picked green, you'll never be able to get them ripe. Many markets and many big producers put vegetables and fruit in storage units, and that gets the merchandise to taste mushy."

But a peach from a farmers markets was picked after ripening on the tree, which improves its flavor, Hagopian said.

The farmers market's 40 to 60 vendors will be strictly governed. This market will have no crafts and no jewelry—just food.

And no soda will be allowed, Hagopian said.

"All we'll have—and we'll sell it for $1.50—is ice water with lemon."

Also, Hagopian will make sure no chain supermarkets get into his market.

"At farmers markets, you have to produce your own produce," he said. "That's a state law."

This is not Mission Viejo's first farmers market. Hagopian counts two or three others that have come and gone. But he says this one will work.

Keith Rattay, the city's new assistant city manager, agrees.

"They were not well marketed," he said of the past contenders. "The lake does not get near the foot traffic the library does."