Farmers Market Toughs It Out

As restaurant trade drops off, vendors count on the public to step in

I went to the Santa Monica Farmers Market this week. It had been probably six months since I had last visited. I’d heard the market had reopened, with new rules for maintaining social distancing and safe practices at the many market stands.

I was curious how such a popular farmers market, prized by chefs as well as locals for its large amount of diverse and often organic produce, plus meat, poultry, eggs and other products, was faring in the wake of the pandemic.

I talked to several vendors. You can read some of what they had to say below and hear a longer audio version on my podcast (to listen, click on the logo below).

Usually the Wednesday market, which takes up four blocks on Arizona Avenue and two more on 2nd Street in downtown Santa Monica, is crowded, with people standing shoulder to shoulder to select choice items from the mounds of colorful vegetables and fruits. There are always plentiful samples of what’s on sale, so you can taste before you buy, ask for recipes, or swap them with other customers.

But now, of course, that’s not happening. Market rules suggest no more than two people per stall, no lingering or socializing, and no more than 30 minutes total at the market. Still, the enforcement didn’t seem very heavy-handed.

At 10 a.m., the line to get into the market was about a block long, and the wait only about 10 minutes, though I was told it can be a lot longer some days. People were patient—probably getting used to lines!

Inside the market, there was yellow painter tape strung between the poles holding up the booths, with signs directing people to “practice safe physical distancing,” stay 6 feet apart and wear face coverings.

Everyone, including vendors, was wearing a mask. Folks asked a lot of questions about the produce but mostly left it to the sellers to pick and bag what they wanted. I spoke with several vendors about how things were going—and it was a mixed bag.

Business is about 20% to 30% of what it was before the virus hit, said Everett Hurd of 2 Peas in a Pod, a farm on California’s Central Coast that sells fresh and dried beans, berries and preserves.

“Most wholesale buyers—hotels and restaurants— are not operating at the moment,” . Hurd told me. “Everyone’s waiting for that to get back up”—and wondering whether the public will be go back to its old dining and traveling habits, so business will pick up.

Foot traffic is down too, he said. “It’s too difficult to get into the market. Lines are too long. It’s difficult for certain people to wait in the sun for an hour.”

That being said, “Mother Nature doesn’t know what’s going on,” Hurd said, and a bumper crop of beans and berries is coming to market, whether buyers are there or not.

“We are known to have the best berries in the market because we grow all our berries out in the open sunshine, unlike most farmers who grow them in hoop houses, which is more efficient but changes the flavor of the berries,” Hurd told me.

Usually, he added, he doesn’t need to give this spiel to sell the produce because it sells itself, especially after people have a taste. “We let the produce do the talking. But now I have to sell you like a salesman. Until you purchase it. Then you can eat all you want!”

Well, of course, I couldn’t resist the challenge and bought three baskets of blueberries and blackberries. (I’d show you a picture, but I ate every one!)

Larry Kandarian of Kandarian Organic Farms, also on the state’s Central Coast, said the new interest from home cooks in using beans, grains and flour has helped him weather the loss of some restaurant customers. He sells a mix of all of these at his popular stand, traveling to farmers markets in both southern and northern California to market his goods.

When the virus first began, people were hoarding beans and grains just like toilet paper, he said. Now, the rush seems to be slowing down a bit, probably because people’s pantries are full.

“People are making bread, they’re cooking soups. They’re doing things that they never did before because there’s no restaurants to cook for them, so that’s a good thing.”

As one of those home cooks given to hoarding foods I’m worried will run out, I took home three pounds of Kandarian’s beans to make into soup or chili, plus some wonderful goat cheeses from Drake Family Farms in Ontario. I also nabbed some cucumbers that I attempted to turn into some kosher dill pickles using a recipe from the website of pastry chef, author and blogger David Lebovitz (one of my go-to sources for inspiration and recipes!). The jury is still out on that experiment—but they do look pretty in a jar!

Bon appetit! If you liked this episode, please share it with a friend, check out the companion podcast—edited this week by the multi-talented Jefferson Graham. And don’t forget to leave a comment on this site or @Ruthtalksfood on Twitter.

See you in the kitchen—or at the farmers market! Check locally to see which ones are open in your neighborhood—they really do need your business!