HEALTH

Palm Springs farmers market stays afloat for summer with $12K aid from community

Risa Johnson
Palm Springs Desert Sun

Gabrielle Gaul has seen her income drop drastically because of the COVID-19 pandemic — as much as 95%, she says. 

Her herb business, Herbivore, is almost completely reliant on the Coachella Valley Certified Farmers' Markets, Gaul says, which she has participated in for the past eight years. While she has been dropping off orders curbside at local stores that are still open and accepting her inventory, she has opted out of renting a space at the markets during the coronavirus pandemic.

"I feel an obligation to slow the spread, flatten the curve and save lives," Gaul said in an email. "I think it's crucial to remain vigilant." 

Gaul is one of about a dozen farmers and vendors who have made the difficult to decision to step away from the local farmers market in these uncertain times, according to organizers. When in season, the Coachella Valley Certified Farmers' Markets operates in Palm Desert, La Quinta and Palm Springs, but only the latter continues after April and runs through the summer months. 

As farmers and vendors have dropped out due to health concerns, pivoting to delivery and curbside pickup service, the market itself has been struggling. The market relies on fees from those same vendors and farmers to cover the cost of operations.

A couple of weeks ago, market organizers were looking at the possibility of being forced to close for the summer. But the community stepped up to help keep it afloat. A gofundme fundraiser to "Save the Palm Springs Summer Farmers' Market," which is still live, met its $10,000 goal in less than 48 hours.

Megan Goehring, manager of the Coachella Valley Certified Farmers' Markets, said she got the idea from her friend who was able to raise the same amount of money for the Napa Farmers Market in about a month's time. Goehring said she was blown away by the support of the Coachella Valley community. 

Some of the fresh produce for sale at the Certified Farmers' Market in Palm Springs, May 9, 2020.

"As soon as we sent out that e-newsletter, my inbox started dinging — ding, ding, ding, ding, ding. ... All of these donations started pouring in," she said. "It was just totally overwhelming." 

And they keep rolling in. As of Wednesday, more than $12,400 had been donated to the fund launched by the the nonprofit Palm Springs Cultural Center, which runs the local markets. 

"It's a testament to the value that they place on these farmers and vendors and on the general value of fresh produce and healthy food," Goehring said. 

With the additional funds, the market is slated to run through the summer. Several precautions are being taken at the outdoor market, including a mask requirement, ground markings for social distancing, one designated entry and exit point, and a limit of 50 customers allowed into the market at any given time. Also, customers are not allowed to touch products until they're handed to them for purchase by the farmer or vendor. 

Shoppers practice social distancing while waiting in line to get into the Certified Farmers' Market in Palm Springs, May 9, 2020.

Goehring said the markets put social distancing policies in place before grocery stores because their cities required them before they could reopen, following the state and county social distancing orders which took effect in March. 

Even with longer wait times at the market because of the customer limit, a total of 610 visitors were counted last Saturday, she said, and previously the most visitors counted at a summer market was just over 700. 

"It's actually been pretty robust, considering," Goehring said.

In the midst of the pandemic, Goehring said she has met many market newcomers who have heard about it through a friend or through social media. 

"All of a sudden, people were looking for alternatives to the grocery store," Goehring said. "They didn't feel comfortable going to an enclosed space with lots of other people and touching a lot of surfaces." 

Shoppers leave with their groceries at the Certified Farmers' Market in Palm Springs, May 9, 2020.

Goehring said people have been lining up to get into the market starting about 7:15 a.m. and that there has been a line until about 11 a.m. People have been waiting under the shade of canopies for about 15 to 20 minutes, on average, to enter the market, she said. 

The Palm Springs Cultural Center has been open for people to go inside to cool off and grab a drink of water if they need to, she said. 

As the temperatures rise, wait times become more of a concern.

"If it gets up to our typical 115, 118 (degrees) in July and August, that's just not going to fly," Goehring said. 

So, while there is not a date set yet, the market will soon make its usual move inside the Palm Springs Pavilion, just down the road from the cultural center.

Goehring is hoping the market can drop the 50-customer limit as soon as possible so that people won't have to wait outside. If not, the market may move to a ticket system like Eventbrite so people could reserve a time to attend. She plans to continue requiring masks and placing social distancing markers when the market moves inside.

Christiana Green, right, purchases produce from Callista Jaime at the Certified Farmers' Market in Palm Springs, May 9, 2020.

For the time being, the market has set up a system for customers who may struggle with waiting in the sun. They can put their name in once they arrive and wait in their car or inside of the Cultural Center, and a volunteer will pull a placeholding cart for them in line until their turn to enter the market. Those in line who agree to pull a cart get a "Market Buck," the in-house currency that can be spent at the market. 

Goehring added that people willing to shop for others while at the farmers market can request to join the Facebook group "Coachella Valley Neighbors Helping Neighbors through COVID-19." Organizers are willing to help facilitate this kind of shopping. 

The farmers market is open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays at 2300 E. Baristo Rd., next to the Palm Springs Cultural Center.

 More information about the Coachella Valley Certified Farmers' Markets can be found at certifiedfarmersmarkets.org and on Facebook at facebook.com/CertifiedFarmersMarket

Risa Johnson covers Native American affairs in the Coachella Valley and beyond. She can be reached at risa.johnson@desertsun.com or (760) 778-4737. Follow her on Twitter @risamjohnson.