The Original Farmers Market celebrates 87 years - Spectrum News 1

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LOS ANGELES — It is a sweet scoop of history, legacy and love.

Bennet’s Ice Cream is one of the older multigenerational family businesses that continue to serve Angelenos at the Original Farmers Market.

What You Need To Know

The Original Farmers Market on 3rd and Fairfax is celebrating its 87 anniversary

Scott Bennett, of Bennett's Ice Cream, said he is thankful to endure the pandemic and stay in business

While there are new vendors like Kaylin and Kaylin Pickles, some older produce vendors are struggling due to the drought

The original Farmers Market helped sparked the movement of other farmers markets throughout LA

Scott Bennet, the nephew of the original owner, said he is proud to keep the business moving.

“When you have your name on your business there’s a difference because if this was ABC Ice Cream, it would be like, oh, I could just sell it or walk away from it, but its got my family’s name on it,” he said.

The Farmers Market is celebrating its 87 year anniversary.

What once was a dairy farm is now a thriving historic landmark with more than 100 vendors.

Bennet’s business has been around since 1963, and while nothing could have fully prepared him for the economic struggle of a pandemic, his uncle did warn him about those dry seasons.

“Before he passed away he told me, you know what, you have to be prepared for a bad year. Well I’ve had a bad year now, again, for the second time. And it’s OK. You know I was able to bring back a lot of employees. We’re working and having fun. And that’s the idea here,” he explained.

While the sweet old legacy continues at Bennett’s Ice Cream, the farmers market is evolving with new vendors as well, including a new pickle stand entitled Kaylin and Kaylin Pickles.

However, some produce vendors are struggling to stay afloat, not from pandemic woes, but from a California water drought, that is affecting business.

“We’ve had issues where our fruits come a little bit rotten or soggy, and that’s when we know maybe the people that are bringing them are having a hard time with growing them,” Melany Martinez explained, a produce vendor in the market.