New Downtown Market in Fresno

Whole Farm Market and Cafe will open in the area of Broadway and Amador next week. The Vagabond Lofts development built in 2004 is a mix of apartments and ground level business space.

Its newest commercial tenant is the Hamilton family's Whole Farms Market.

"What we do here is we give you farm fresh produce but you also get your local dried fruits, your local dried nuts and rice," Tara Hamilton said.

They'd been selling their own farm's produce by truck to individuals but decided to open a market and cafe where they could feature other local farms. Like the apple grower in Chowchilla who lost her contract with a jelly company.

"We're gonna buy her apples and make 'em into juice and we're gonna carry it and hope that other CSA's and other farmers markets will carry it," Tara Hamilton said.

Domingo Zapata works in the neighborhood and likes the idea. "I think it's an opportunity for many people to start being more conscious about what they consume and are eating."

This cafe is strictly for a 'raw' food diet made with fresh and dried fruits and vegetables. A shredded daikon radish becomes the pasta of a pad thai dish. And the store shelves offer local farms a new sales outlet.

"Those are fried pears, we get them from Madera, also the apple rings," Hamilton said.

The Hamiliton's say they chose this location to offer residents living in south and west Fresno access to farmers market that is really fresh and local.

Whole Farms Market's official grand opening is next Wednesday, December 8.

After that, it will be open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 9 to 2 p.m.