This was the longest winter in terms of farmers markets since I have become a fan. The primary market didn't have an indoor winter version. The supplemental winter version of a farmers market moved around. Their last space was closer and prettier than a parking garage (first site) but didn't visit that as often for other reasons.
My local produce store became the catch-all where I bought food from local farmers, the de facto farmers market. In the winter of 2019-2020, I ran out of eggs. I went online to my favorite eggs vendor, ordered a dozen. She actually delivered them to my door but I could have walked less than a mile to the pickup spot.
When I ran out of eggs in the winter of 2020-2021, I didn't have that option since she went out of business during the pandemic. I bought eggs at my local produce store.
Last spring, the mad scramble was to find farmers markets. We were tracking individual farmers who made the 100-mile (each way) trek to deliver in a different manner than we were used to doing. Chicago has put in a delay that didn't make any sense since Evanston (suburb immediately to the north) started on time.
This year, the markets started at or near the original time. Farmers markets are not back to pre-pandemic form, even with vaccines.
Still have nightmares of the local farmers market where they insisted on spraying everyone with an unmarked bottle reportedly carrying hand sanitizer. The fake safety practice had long been reputed but the sudden change meant finding different markets. Here's hoping common sense kicks in for 2021 but not holding my breath.
Opening Day of the farmers market season had replaced the ritual of Opening Day for baseball. Baseball has hot dogs and apple pie but farmers markets have asparagus (definitely) and strawberries (sometimes).
"How was your winter? How are the crops going so far?" Standard questions in a normal opening day. "Hey, you survived. Good for you. Have you had the vaccine?" New questions for 2021.
2020 farmers market update: What to do without winter markets
Use food education to help kids learn outdoors during a pandemic
Add summer local fruit to your lemonade
Tomato trust at a farmers market is a cherished responsibility
Inside a farmers market in the new normal in the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic
Farmers markets in the new normal in the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic
Will COVID-19 play a role with farmers markets?
Food safety is a subject where we have written about extensively, the dichotomy of being over safe on such things as medium rare burgers and raw milk and under safe about certain ingredients such as high-fructose corn syrup.
Customers have to be patient with how close they get and what they can touch. The idea of having them put you fruit in a resealable container is a year away. The fact that we can touch tomatoes in a grocery store but not at a farmers market is baffling.
Farmers markets will be cautious because we live in a cautious society. Farmers and their workers might be thrilled if people in 2021 are actually wearing masks as intended. The stress that farmer market customers have had to endure does not compare to the stress of the farmers and their workers. Considered essential but not always respected by the customers.
We always recommend people be nice to the vendors at farmers markets. Go above and beyond to be nice.
As the population of the United States becomes more vaccinated, restrictions might lighten at farmers markets. Hoping September is better than May in that respect. There are likely people who love farmers markets and yet are also anti-vaxxers, even if they seem incompatible.
You may not have to wear a mask but you should consider the vendors and other customers in mind. In our situation, a lot of the farmers come in from other states and their vaccination rollouts may be different than in your state.
BalanceofFood.com farmers market coverage
If you are looking for 2019 style farmers markets, think 2022. The 2021 version should get better as the summer progresses. Still better than the 2020 version.
photo credit: me
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