Growing up, every Saturday morning my mom would take my sister and me to the farmers market. While she shopped, we would run around with sticky hands, covered in samples of honey and strawberries. These are some of my fondest memories, and probably the reason why food is such a huge part of my life.
I have carried this tradition into adulthood — you will very rarely see me miss my Saturday-morning market outing. During normal times, I get overly excited for my market expedition, swooning over fresh veggies and dreaming of all of the delicious dishes that I will create. But now, during this confusing time, I can honestly say that the farmers market has become my most cherished activity each week.
The essential role that local agriculture plays in our lives has been baked into me since I was a child. This is one of the reasons that I was so drawn to Greenbelt Alliance. I wanted to be part of an organization that fights for agricultural land protections and champions Bay Area farmers. As many of us are trying to find ways to support local, buying groceries at your neighborhood farmers market is an exceptional way to do so.
As closures and updates on “shelter in place” continue to change and evolve, it is important to keep an eye on the news. But for now, many Bay Area counties are keeping farmers’ markets open and have deemed them “essential businesses”. Just like grocery stores, farmers market organizers are taking all the necessary precautions to put our health and safety first. This means that all vendors wear gloves, shoppers cannot touch any of the produce, and social distancing is firmly enforced.
If you would like to see if your farmers market is open, visit the California Farmers’ Market Associations website here or check out this article by the Mercury News.
Header Photo: Peter Wendt via Unsplash
