Pandemic produce

Pandemic Pandemic

Text by ANDIE TETZLAFF and TARA KOTHARI

Photos by ZOË WONG-VANHAREN

ORGANIC STRAWBERRIES — Hidden behind a protective veil of plastic, a vendor sells a massive box of fresh strawberries to a consumer.

Produce Produce culture v

WHILE OTHER STORES AND BUSINESSES CLOSE,

FARMERS’ MARKET REMAINS OPEN I T’S 8 A.M. ON APRIL 19, a shining no service,” a safeguard to prevent disease motes health in multiple forms. Sunday morning. Local consumers transmission during the pandemic. According to Victoria, a weekly cusare just starting to wake up to head Additionally, the farmers’ market has tomer at the market, she continues to over to the California Avenue farmers’ taken steps to comply with the shelter-inattend, to support the local farmers and market, whereas farmers and vendors from place rules, including social distancing. Up to take advantage of the high-quality, orthe Central Valley have been awake since and down California Avenue, markings ganic produce available. She explains that the crack of dawn, preparing for the busy spaced six feet apart can be seen on the while some things have changed in order day ahead. ground to help guide visitors to keep a safe to maintain health precautions, she returns

However, their routines have changed distance when standing in lines. every week to get the same, exceptional these last couple of months as they now In the middle of the market is the infood. carry with them their hand sanitizer, masks formation booth. Here, Jesse Garcia, one Multiple vendors say that since the beand gloves. Duct tape and chalk markings of the Palo Alto farmers’ market managers, ginning of the shelter-in-place order, busiline the floor, signs advocating for safesits wearing a mask, next to a massive botness has increased. ty measures are scattered across the scene tle of hand sanitizer and answers questions “Business has soared like it hasn’t since and people are careful to avoid the other from passersby. He plays a key role in esat least 2015 because we have high in-deshoppers. While the farmers’ market is still tablishing and implementing the rules and mand products,” Capay Farms employee happening, it’s different. precautions to create a safe environment Dustin said.

Every Sunday on California Avenue where vendors can still sell their fresh proTrinity Murchie, a marketing director in Palo Alto, a local farmers’ market takes duce. and employee at the farmers’ market, explace. Stands selling products ranging from “Since the farmers’ market is in an plains the economic consequences of such the crunchiest apples to the sweetest honey to the richest rotisserie chicken are stationed up and down the closed-off street, practicing appropriate social distancing.

Even though the spread of COVID-19 has put most of the world on hold, essential open space and we aren’t bordered by the walls of a store, we have the “ We spend our entire days working, growing food to make sure ... you can get oran influx.

What’s new?

“We’re all hitting our Christmas numbers and going beyond that,” Murchie businesses, like farmers’ markets, remain open.

With the rise of COVID-19, many “We’ve made but then we don’t people have had to change their daily rousure to put have anything to tines to adapt to the “new normal.” at least 10 feet between each stand because sustain the customers next weekend. So a

The market is still open for business we’re all about the safety of the vendors and lot of us are scrambling and trying to figure every Sunday, but changes have been imconsumers.” out how to accommodate people.” plemented to ensure the safety of both the Another employee at the farmers’ marsellers and consumers. Behind the business ket, sales representative Gunther Gettelfin

A common protocol among all of Seeing as the farmers’ market is an esger, explains how the increase in purchases the stand owners is that customers cannot sential business, Palo Alto residents should by consumers has already impacted the pick out their food themselves in order to not be surprised by the fact that it is still sheep dairy company that he works for. reduce the risk of exposure. Many farmers open to the public. Providing people with “We’re already out of all meat for the have put up signs with the text, “No mask, fresh, organic produce, the market proentire spring and summer, because people

freedom to really space people out,” Garcia said. ganic, local, good food and that’s our pride.” —GUNTHER GETTELFINGER, sales representative said. “We ended up selling out and it’s beautiful for the weekend,

were coming in and instead of buying one pound of ground lamb for the weekend, they were buying ten pounds of ground lamb at a time,” Gettelfinger said.

Even though things may be salutary at the moment for many local farmers and vendors, the consequences will likely continue to be felt in the future.

According to Murchie, some of the many benefits of getting produce from the market is that it is safer, healthier and easier to regulate than a grocery store in times like these.

“By the time you see the shelf at Safeway, that item has been handled 10 to 30 times, whereas this [farmers’ market produce] has only been handled by about three different people,” Murchie said.

Everyone at the farmers’ market is not only motivated by the safer atmosphere, but also by the desire to support small, local businesses.

“We’re coming to the market because not only is it a farmer’s lifeblood, it [the farmers’ market] is the lowest risk grocery store that there is around,” Murchie said. “I’m also helping the farmer get the little bit of money that he makes every year.”

Farmers and vendors continue to come out and sell their products not only because it is their job, but also to continue to provide for the people around them. For many customers, the farmers’ market is, and will always be, their main way of obtaining high-quality produce.

“There was a sticker that I saw on a truck one time and it said, ‘If you love people, you feed them good food,’” Gettelfinger said. “We spend our entire days working, growing food to make sure ... you can get organic, local, good food and that’s our pride.” v

LONG LINES (TOP) — Wearing masks and keeping a distance of at least six feet, consumers at the farmers’ market wait in line to purchase their produce. GO ORGANIC (BOTTOM LEFT) — Farmers’ market vendors Trinity Murchie (left) and Gunther Gettelfinger (center) continue to sell their produce at the market. “It’s a complete honor to be able to help people to get the safe healthy food they need,” Murchie said. SOUR STRIPS (BOTTOM RIGHT) — A vendor poses next to a sign exclaiming “Please buy what you touch.” This helps prevent disease transmission at the market, keeping everyone safe.

Art by Samantha Ho