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when the covid-19 pandemic ripped through the u.s. in late march and the nation settled into a springtime quarantine, many hoped by summer or early fall, everything from business operations to schools, and universities to restaurants would return to normal. 

but we all know that’s not what happened. 

“there is really no area of our operations that covid-19 hasn’t impacted,” said jill groednek, assistant market manager of the dane county farmers market in wisconsin. 

the dane county farmers market primarily serves the area surrounding madison, wisconsin. its downtown market, which runs outdoors around the state capitol from june to late fall, attracts thousands every week. because of its high traffic, groednek said wisconsin revoked their outdoor permit for the downtown market at the beginning of the pandemic, forcing them to adapt for the sake of their growers and consumers alike. 

in march, groenek said her team quickly pivoted from an indoor market to a pandemic-safe pick-up format, which ended up being a drive-thru model. customers would place an order from their favorite vendors ahead of time, and then the vendors would place their order contact-free in their cars. 

as spring turned to summer and the dane county team fell smoothly into their drive-up rhythm, they started to expand, and soon even got permission to re-launch a more traditional — yet still socially distanced — outdoor walk-up market. 

groednek said throughout the transition, they tried to support their vendors as much as possible, which included posting vendor information on their website. 

for brad wilson, a local farmer who’s sold herb and vegetable seedlings at the dane county market for 25 years, the pandemic meant an opportunity to branch into new, online marketplaces. 

“this year, i sold plants online using a squarespace website and square for online transactions,” wilson said. “i think this season forced me into selling online and using cards for payment, which is a good thing because there is a lot of potential to develop these techniques into ways to sell more product more efficiently.”

wilson also sells at the nearby baraboo county market, which he could continue to do as it reopened with social distancing measures in place. while wilson said he didn’t make as much this summer as he might usually, it “wasn’t a bad summer.” 

for other vendors, covid meant focusing more on selling to grocery stores, rather than at a market. pam augustyn of canopy gardens — a small farm selling vegetables and herbs — said she doesn’t plan to return to the farmers market until it returns to normal operations. augustyn said they tried out the drive-up format, decided it wasn’t quite right for their operation, and chose instead to focus on their efforts selling to grocery stores. 

“we have adapted and are continuing to adapt with marketing, and we are now looking into packaging more of our items for selling at grocery stores versus the farm market,” augustyn said. “what we plant and offer next year will be based on what we have adapted this year — we have been looking at alternate ways of packing the things we grow to be more accessible for grocery stores to sell.”

like wilson, augustyn said her operation took in less money from the market this year compared to previous — as much as three times less profit than usual in her case. but they’ve also sold more at stores, so while it’s still a loss, augustyn said it’s not as bad as it could have been if they hadn’t changed their delivery methods. 

in light of their new marketing strategies, augustyn said her team is considering not returning to the farmers market at all and instead just selling their produce to stores. 

university of wisconsin extension specialist kristen krokowski, who works with the wisconsin farmers’ market association said while shifting gears to accommodate growers and consumers during the pandemic has been challenging, it’s also taught their organization new skills. 

the wisconsin farmers market association is made up of directors of farmers markets across the state. while they don’t interact directly with growers and consumers much, they provide resources to farmers market organizers, and in a pandemic like this, support farmers statewide. 

“our goal is to support the market managers and the boards and things like that, so that they can provide good markets for their communities and for their farmers,” krokowski said. 

krokowski said the dane county downtown market was the only one of their around 300 markets that didn’t return to some sort of in-person, socially distanced capacity. but she also said the pandemic could have impacted grower-consumer relationships because social distancing can make it harder for farmers and consumers to have meaningful conversations. 

at a farmers market, krokowski said, consumers can ask questions about where their food is coming from, and make a request if there’s a certain item they’d like to see, connecting communities with food systems. plus, farmers markets offer more than just food — local entertainers and small businesses use them as a starting point. 

“they’re really important social structures for communities,” krokowski said. “they’re just really important to kind of reinforce that sense of community and that connectedness.” 

if anything, krokowski said the pandemic has helped people realize how important investing in local food systems are — especially back in march, when grocery stores experienced shortages nationwide. 

“you can go into the grocery store and whole shelves are empty or (find out that) what produce you can get this week’s kind of spotty. and i think for the people who utilize the farmers market or csas or local food, there’s some reassurance there,” krokowski said. “having diversified local agriculture helps with making sure that we can have products locally.”

“one of them shut down completely and then opened as a drive-through market and that was a complete disaster,” she said. “we would get two or three orders a week, not even making $20. it was just a real dead experience.”

it took markets shifting back to something resembling a traditional experience for behrmann and her small goat herd to see sales recover. this is a bumpy ride that many farmers market vendors in the d.c. area have experienced since the early months of the year.

deemed essential services, d.c. farmers markets remained open since the outbreak of the covid-19 pandemic – but in order to keep vendors, staff, and customers safe, markets had to make sudden changes.

m.farmers markets across the country provide the unique opportunity for customers to purchase food directly from producers and, likewise, for farmers to connect with customers face-to-face. this can boost local economies and reduce the amount of energy needed to transport food across long distances.

in d.c., farmers markets also provide additional incentives for low-income families. most d.c. farmers markets accept snap and wic benefits, as well as benefits for senior citizens. many farmers markets in d.c. also “match” customers’ snap benefits so that each dollar can purchase more fresh produce.

since march, the d.c. government has required farmers markets to comply with public health regulations by promoting social distancing and mask wearing. markets must provide hand washing stations and vendor stalls may not offer samples. customers also must be encouraged not to touch products before purchasing.

these practices are in place at the d.c. farmers markets currently run by freshfarm, a nonprofit that operates more than 20 markets in the washington, d.c., metro area. derel farmer, freshfarm’s community outreach manager, said that the pandemic has forced market operators “to pretty much reinvent how we do business.”

“we understand that the farmer’s market is one of the few large, open venues left at this time,” he said. “there are very few other opportunities where large amounts of people can come interact and do so safely, so we are committed to making sure we keep this space open for people.”

this means offering pre-orders from many vendors for market pick-up or delivery. market vendors must assign staff to manage either money or product but not both, and they are encouraged to prioritize contactless payment options.

it also means deciding not to open several markets this year, such as the white house and foggy bottom markets, which have lost customers due to the pandemic.

freshfarm vendors said that although they are pleased with the safety practices in place, it is not business as usual. dana garner boyle, owner of garners produce in virginia, said that she has had to hire additional staff to manage her farmers market stall amidst health restrictions.

“we have stuck to the routine of gathering the items for the customer,” she said. “that’s extra work because it ties up our time when we could be chatting with the customer or refilling and restocking. so we have to hire extra staff to help get all that done and manage our lines so that everybody can maintain distance at the market better.”

boyle added that it breaks her heart that customers are not allowed to choose their own products, which is “so much a personal choice.”

“i really can’t pick out tomatoes that would suit everybody because that’s something different,” she said. “so we just kind of make a joke of that, like, ‘i will be so glad when y’all are able to pick your own tomatoes!’”

behrmann of shepherd’s whey creamery misses selling samples of her varieties of goat’s cheese, which she said “is a huge part of our selling strategy.”

“because artisan goat cheese is not a necessarily familiar product to many of our customers – it makes so much variation, depending on the individual producer of the cheese – it’s really difficult for people to know what they’re buying and to be willing to invest in something that they don’t have any idea about,” she said.

sustainability is also a concern. zach vandezande, the head of pr and publishing for number 1 sons, a small business that sells pickles, kimchi, and kombucha at d.c. farmers markets, said the business previously encouraged customers to take purchased products home in their own containers. due to sanitation concerns, the business has switched to packaging the products beforehand.

vandezande said number 1 sons is trying to balance how they can “stay as environmentally conscious and as environmentally responsible as possible while keeping people safe,” and added that this shift has been a “big touchstone” for the business’s customers.

nevertheless, markets like freshfarm’s have taken this opportunity to innovate rather than crumble. while leaving several markets unopened this season, freshfarm also opened a new market in virginia. farmer added that freshfarm also plans to extend several of its markets further into the winter to provide more time for vendors to sell their products.

freshfarm has also extended its snap matching program to all its markets. this comes at an important time, as recent data reveals that the number of american adults who reported that members of their households “sometimes or often did not have enough to eat” surged to more than 26 million americans in 2020, increasing the need for programs like snap.

farmer said that customer feedback to the market’s effort to balance safety and accessibility has been largely positive.

“the one thing that we hear over and over again is ‘thank you,’” he said. “‘thank you for doing this. thank you for being here.’”

boyle of garners produce said that she has seen steady business at her farm stand since the start of the pandemic.

“i think between our roadside market and the farmers market we’ve consistently stayed busy because people feel like their food has been handled less – it’s picked one day, it’s brought and sold the next – and it’s outdoor shopping,” she said. “so i think they feel a lot safer buying food at a market than they do in the grocery stores right now.”

vandezande of number 1 sons said he thinks customers are still attracted to farmers markets because there are “human stories” behind the products, and “those human stories matter.”

“one of the reasons people go to farmers markets is because they want to return to the idea that the land is connected, the product is connected to a human being who is making their living,” he said and contrasted the markets to grocery stores, where “food just appears as if by magic.”

at the end of the day, farmers markets remain essential to behrmann and her goat herd. she said that farmers markets are the only venues she has found that give small farmers access to the marketplace, and where she can receive immediate, direct feedback from her customers.

“i can’t imagine being a farmer where i just send it off to a distributor and never got to get any direct feedback of what the customer thought i was doing,” she said.

keeping in mind the racial, and socioeconomic impacts, i’m proposing that the market start by eliminating the use of plastic grocery bags. as a participant, an observer, and a researcher, i believe there are four different possible first steps that could be taken toward eliminating all plastic grocery bags from the market.

so, if you’re in syracuse, please join me in promoting this idea, and if you’re somewhere else please consider that you could push for the same change in your own community. 

the weekly farmers market operates through the months of april to december. averaging about 300 customers per week throughout the year, it includes a number of vendors, along with weekly performers and several outreach programs to improve access to healthy fresh local food. however, of these programs, one of the most notable is their inclusion of donation boxes at the end of each shopping experience.

“ever since the market started we would take up donations at the end of the market from vendors that may have leftover produce that they didn’t intend to sell and might end up in a compost bin,” said betsy chapman, director of ocm. “we would take this produce to the food pantry as a nice compliment to the non perishable foods that they give out. it’s nice to have that fresh food.”

after realizing how successful this was, the organization decided to find a way for the customers to participate by inviting them to buy extra produce from their favorite farmers and donate it. the food is taken to the oxford food pantry the next morning. after introducing this opportunity to their customers, it took off instantly.

“people make it part of their weekly routines, so we have people that automatically drop stuff off in the box each week,” said chaplin.

success in numbers

in 2017 alone, the organization donated about 2,800 pounds of fresh food. additionally, the food pantry serves over 65 families a week. the market also serves 800 families who are on the special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children (wic), as the only farmers market nutrition program site for the organization in the lafayette county. finally, ocm has a program called, oh snap!, where they provide a dollar for dollar match for people using snap benefits (formerly known as food stamps).

with these programs in place, and all of them doing so well, chapman explained that they always look for more areas to add a drop point. one of their newest additions is canterbury hills, an apartment complex where 28 seniors with low-income live. each wednesday, ocm brings them a box of assorted goodies, while also spending some quality time with them.

“the purpose of this program, is to get good food into the hands of people who need it, but also a way to deepen community connections, tell them about the market, and invite them to come,” chapman said.

a market built on diverse communities

a seemingly flawless farmers market in relation to their customer and community relations, it is not surprising that their vendor relations are also impeccable. supporting relationships with 20-40 vendors throughout the year, and 40 small business owners, ocm provides the one place where the farmers can be the sales person. “there is no middle man,” said chapman. “so this is where farmers can maximize their profits by selling directly to consumers.”

additionally, ocm offers professional development for their businesses, by offering support in things such as graphic design, business cards, and other means of marketing and advertising. it is these efforts that help them not only maintain their current vendors, but have many others willing to work with them at anytime.

this was not only the analysis of chapman, but also of the vendors. joseph currie of native son’s farm agrees that a relationship with ocm is very much profitable. the relationship with native son’s farm relationship is specifically interesting because ocm serves as a drop point for their subscribers.

“[the market is] a rustic interpersonal type of relationship where customers get to meet the people that are handling the produce that will end up on their table, that is pretty neat because you get the personal touch of each of the of farmers or one of the bakers,” currie said.

sherry driggers, the creator, owner, and operator of 7 d farm, was another vendor whose business had increased due to the existence of ocm. she described the market as having a diverse culture, where people of many different backgrounds could meet. “others come to be a part of this, come together to build each other up and makes a much stronger community as a whole,” said sherry.

she has worked with ocm for 3-4 years now, and she has more than doubled her number of customers since joining, and doubled their presence in the community. overall, supporting a family of 5 kids with her husband, she is grateful that she can do it by making fresh home-grown and made bread, and it means the world to her that customers come back to buy her products and have an easy way to do that.

marketing director chapman said it best, “farmers markets serve as a place to sell food, but also as a gathering space. it’s not just about physical wellbeing but also social well-being. from senior citizens who come out to volunteer, to college students helping out, the oxford community market farmers market is a great place for all.”  

a role-model to any farmers markets aspiring to grow or start, the oxford community market is not only a home for fresh food, but the home of a community who loves the work the organization has done and continues to do. whether it be local farmers markets, or something as simple as placing coin jars in multiple locations across the city; ocm does not stop in their efforts to help the community in any way possible.

specialized agricultural techniques may not be enough to keep the food coming, according to william nordhaus’s climate casino.

it’s not just my sunday trips that will change, though – based on the national climate assessment, everyone in the northeast region of the country should be wary of increasing temperatures, precipitation and sea level rise. the evidence is growing larger as our time to act is shrinking. we’re on the path to finding out what climate change means for us the hard way.

this is one risk we should not be willing to take. even if there was a way to maintain my favorite broccoli and cauliflower supply at the market, getting the food to town poses another significant problem.

the predicted 71% increase in heavy precipitation will permanently flood the bronx river parkway. major traffic on other routes will become the norm as families struggle to clock in on time for work and have a tedious experience even grabbing a good burger in the next town over.  

the bronx river parkway has its name for a reason. water originally filled the route before we came along with cement and a tractor, and all signs are pointing toward water filling it again. all solutions are costly, but with no place for another parkway, elevating the roads might be the only viable option unless people want to start kayaking around the county.

frequently traveling by water is one thing – drinking it is another. the quality of water is also greatly at risk.

sea level rise will increase salt-water intrusion into the hudson river. the hudson river runs into the state’s water supply, meaning drinking water quality is guaranteed to diminish. costco will prosper due to the increase in water bottle sales. everyone else will pay the price.

eastchester is in the same position as the rest of the globe. the best solution is prevention. we cannot save our crops once we go beyond the point of no return and there is no conceivable way to drain inches of water from the ocean.  between increasing temperatures, precipitation and sea levels, the earth is slowly consuming our habitat. nature is supposed to be an ally of mankind, but we are slowly turning the environment into an undefeatable adversary.

new yorkers need to adopt favorable climate practices before they are forced to adapt to an unfavorable climate.  

my dog and i outside of the state capitol which the farmers market surrounds every saturday in the summer. 

i’m worried that i’ll be one of the last to hear that duck voice, and eat that fresh produce – climate change will alter everything. the farmer’s market is one of the defining qualities of madison. it truly brings out the character of the city. there is no better way to spend an early saturday morning in the summer than shuffling around the square from stand to stand. cheese curds, honey sticks and spicy cheese bread: the true staples of a madison farmer’s market diet. but this could all change in the coming decades if we, the city of madison, the state of wisconsin, the usa, the world, but especially us as individuals, don’t change our ways.

human-caused climate change will drastically change the landscape of the us, including madison, and the seemingly endless surrounding farmland that yields the crops we all love at the farmer’s market. according to the national climate assessment, rainfall and storms will increase across the entirety of the midwest leading up to the middle of the century.the nca predicts that this rising irregularity in storms will have a far more substantial effect on crops than that of rising temperatures. crops such as cherries and other fruits are left particularly vulnerable to the heightened storms.

this map shows the increase in frequency of extreme daily precipitation events (a daily amount that now occurs once in 20 years) by the later part of this century (2081-2100) compared to the later part of last century (1981-2000). (nca) 

in 2012, a late season freeze completely decimated michigan’s $60 million tart cherry crop. at $0.59 per pound in 2012, that’s a loss of over 100 million pounds of cherries, enough to make around 50 million pies. replace michigan with door county, famous for their cherries; it could easily have happened there, one of my favorite vacation spots in wisconsin.

climate change is already affecting the agriculture of the midwest, and it is foolish for anyone to say otherwise. but we can change this trend before it becomes too late. we are the generation to make a difference. we don’t want to be the generation walking around the state capitol square in 2050, reminiscing about donald duck at the farmer’s market that used to be, that we had a chance to save, but didn’t.

anna sumi is a sophomore at the george washington university majoring in political communication.