Near gale-force Santa Ana winds blow through the Heritage Farmer's Market as some shopkeepers decide to close early due to safety concerns

By Sandra Slattery

Blustering winds and battered booths did not discourage vendors and shoppers in the Rancho Cucamonga community on Saturday. Much of the Heritage Farmer’s Market at Terra Vista Town Center in Rancho Cucamonga still operated as usual despite near gale-force winds with gusts of up to 35 mph. Small business vendors from the area gathered together, selling anything from fresh local produce to humanely raised eggs, hummus and pita bread, succulents, Mexican cuisine, Italian cuisine, fresh baked goods and more.

The gusts from the bi-annually occurring Santa Ana winds tore through the north-south facing Aspen Avenue, knocking over sun canopies, potted plants and bags of freshly made kettle corn. The musical trio that had been serenading shoppers had to stop their performance due to their microphones and speakers getting knocked around.

Shopkeepers were thankful to their loyal customers that braved the winds to support the local businesses. Some had to resort to creative methods of safety. In one case, a quick-thinking vendor tied a sack of potatoes to the foot of their canopies. In other cases, the shop owners had to leave early due to safety concerns.

One young attendant named Brooklyn Asterino, a dual-enrolled high school student and honor-society member at Chaffey College, commented that she and her parents had to close up shop early on Saturday due to the high winds.

Brooklyn shared her experience, saying “[Saturday] was one of our toughest days at the farmer's market. The wind continuously came in powerful gusts … our canopy pop-up tent kept getting knocked over… Plates, containers and gloves were also flying through the air!"

In addition to the canopy knocking over, "the wind kept blowing out the fire to the kitchen stove,", Brooklyn added, "preventing the pasta sauce from cooking properly."

The family decided, after powering through an hour at the market, to close up shop. Normally, they open for five hours every Saturday, but out of concern for food safety and proper operating temperatures, they decided to close early.

Brooklyn’s family operates an Italian food stall called Asterinos Italian Kitchen. Relatives on her mother’s side are Italian immigrants and pass down traditional recipes through the family. They prepare home-made Italian staples such as spaghetti and meatballs, meatball subs and Italian cream sodas from traditional recipes that have been passed down through the family.

The Santa Ana winds are annually recurring dry and often warm winds that blow out of the desert. Originating from the Mojave, the Santa Ana winds begin as the desert cools and the air sinks. Much of the Mojave is at a higher elevation, so as the cool air sinks, some of the air is channeled down the mountain sides, such as Angeles National Forest. Just north of Rancho Cucamonga, the tall peak of Mt. San Antonio and the the adjacent canyons provide an ideal tunnel where the winds get channeled through and gain speed. This often provides enough wind speed to knock down trees and power lines, in one case closing down a major freeway in Corona.

Vendors in Rancho Cucamonga Power Through Strong Winds