With cases of COVID-19 continuing to rise, some people are looking toward smaller, more local places to shop. One of these places is Whiteaker Community Market on Fourth and Blair Blvd, which just reopened its small, open-air market on June 28.
The market, only about 10 stalls, serves everything from handmade clothes to face masks to fresh produce. For customers and vendors, it’s a way to safely socialize while social-distancing.
“We realized that markets are kind of a vital aspect especially of the food system,” Claire Schechtman, the market’s manager, said. “It’s a way to get food directly to people from farmer to consumer.”
Schechtman said that the market had been operating a small fresh produce stand even when they were closed because it was important to maintain that food system and support small farmers and business owners.
“I’m trying to make sure that people in the community have access to fresh fruits and vegetables,” Kory Wagner, owner of Ginger Roots Farm, said. “That’s very important especially because of what’s going on at this time.”
A big part of the market is safety. Signs around the market remind people to wear a mask and wash their hands. There are strict rules in place for shoppers, set out by the Oregon Farmers Market Association.
Masks are required, and the process for purchasing an item requires one person to handle the money and another to handle the product. Booths are also designed so that people don’t have to enter the tent in order to buy products.
“I actually feel safer here than I do at someplace like Walmart,” Susan Belcher, a vendor for Foxglove Apiaries, said. Foxglove Apiaries sells wildflower honey, among other products. “Pretty much everyone is wearing a mask and social distancing. We’re outside and people are being very careful about it.”
The large barriers at the end of the market are meant to block off the road. The week before the market opened, however, the market decided to paint the back of the barriers with messages such as “food justice is racial justice” and “the role of the artist is to make revolution irresistible.” Schechtman said this is part of a social justice aspect that the market has had for years.
“It seemed and continues to be the right thing to do to offer and prioritize spaces for people of color who aren’t often welcome in public spaces,” Schechtman said.
Schechtman said that the market has prioritized LGBTQ+ and POC vendors in their application process for the past two years.
Schechtman said that the market was looking to expand in the coming weeks to about 16 vendors, she said, a small sample of the approximately 100 approved vendors. While the market can usually have up to 30 vendors, distancing only allows a maximum of 18 booths.
“The market represents, to me, individual craftsmen that are sort of doing it themselves and if I can support that, I’d like to do that,” Jim Hagan, a customer at the market, said.
“I think it’s really amazing that farmers markets have been able to make the case that nationally that we are essential businesses and we provide essential services,” Schechtman said.
The Whiteaker Community Market will be open every first Sunday of the month, on Fourth and Blair Blvd.
