A scene that just a couple weeks ago would have been one of vibrant, bustling community is now one of hushed tones and palpable concern. But it is still a community. It is a farmers market.

As of now, the markets in our California county are open, and rightly so. At a time when restaurants – facing their own crisis — are drastically reducing their food ordering, the markets provide farmers with much needed income, and customers (including those receiving SNAP benefits) with much needed healthy food. But the mood at the markets is understandably and necessarily changed.

Once shoppers mingled together without much thought, leaning near each other to get a view of the goods. Now, we are doing Matrix-like contortions to respect the six-foot rule. Once customers would handle and squeeze produce to find the best and ripest. Now, if you touch it, you buy it. Once friends were greeted with hugs and proximity. Now, however dear and seldom seen, friends are greeted from a wistful distance. Once we didn’t have to think about all this. Now we do it all because it’s the right thing to do, and it will let us keep our markets open so that we can support our farmers.

Farmers already had a tough row to hoe, and were being further burdened by labor issues, climate change, tariff tiffs, the cost of land, decreasing availability of farm land, etc., etc., etc. Now add to that an international pandemic.

That the farmers themselves are even at the markets is a testament to their commitment. Yes, the markets are a crucial source of their income right now, but those farmers are facing the same health concerns we all are, often with limited financial cushions and sketchy access to health care. Yet here they are, at markets, to feed us. They deserve not only our support, but also our appreciation.

Because it is still a community. It is a farmers market.

— By Katy Budge