Farms to Grow, Inc.

Freedom Farmers' Market Program

Market Hours

Saturdays, July 17th - November 13th, (9am - 2pm)

4521 Telegraph Ave, Oakland

• Local - maximizes local resources to meet local needs and invests in local programs

• Ecological - works in harmony with the environment and replenishes soil through growing and post-consumer compost

• Primary - provides for basic community need of access to safe, affordable, healthy food

• Fair - mutually beneficial to all members

• Inclusive - accessible to the whole community 

• Interactive - creates opportunities for community interaction through the creation of a safe weekly community market

• Empowering - enables respectful work and positive cultural experiences for the community

• Educational - develops an informed community whose focus is health, wellness, and holistic development of local community,

• Reliant - on community support to purchase goods and services from underserved business owners.

Click here to fill out the Vendor Application

Freedom Farmers' Market - History

In 2013, at the invitation of the restaurant owner Ken Shandy of Brother's Kitchen, Farms to Grow, Inc. facilitated the creation of Oakland's Freedom Farmers' Market. First located on the parking lot of Brother's Kitchen, the market relocated in 2014 to 5316 Telegraph Ave. The Freedom Farmers' Market will open for the 8th season in collaboration with the Temescal Business District at 4521 Telegraph Ave, Oakland. 

Our mission is to bring traditional legacy foods from Black farmers and other sustainable farmers into Oakland as we engage a community vibe of self-reliance, cooperative community development, and healthy sustainable environments for all.

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Dr. Gail Myers and Ken Shandy

Once you SUBMIT the "Vendor Application" we will send you an invoice to pay the vendor fee.

The Freedom Farmers' Market was named by Dr. Gail Myers, co-founder of FTG, because of inspiration from the work of Fannie Lou Hamer's Freedom Farm, the Freedom Farmers' Market supports the idea of freedom to choose affordable local food and freedom to access fresh food grown by Black farmers.  In addition to a chance to meet some of California's Black farmers, at the marketplace you can return to experience our market events; the Crowder pea shell off, watermelon eating, sweet potato pie tasting, healthy soul food demos and enjoy the sounds of R&B -Jazz & Blues, play checkers, chess and build community.  

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By supporting farmers markets, you support a local economy and healthier sustainable agroecosystem.  We believe that farmers markets are strategies communities can use to empower themselves to eat healthier.

Farms To Grow, Inc. is committed to facilitating the economic and community development goals that have been identified by community stakeholders and farmers to implement community farmers markets.  

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