Paseo Farmers Market
It Takes a Village to Raise a Farmers Market
During the beginning of the pandemic, the Paseo Farmers Market converted its outdoor market into an online marketplace with an easy, no-contact, curbside pick-up. Amid Covid-19, Megan Sisco, founder of the Paseo Farmers Market, and board members Jenna Moore, Angela Chase, and Alyssa Fisher swiftly adapted it to its current online website.
Customers began placing orders for pickup on Saturday with delivery available by bicycle to those within a two mile radius through a new Oklahoma-based start-up called “Ped Ex.”
The team developed a system that worked for all their vendors while allowing customers a simple one-stop checkout option as well.
One silver lining to the pandemic is that the majority of their farmers and vendors have seen an increase in sales during this time, due to people willing to seek out alternative methods to avoid potential transmission from grocery stores. Through the website, shoppers are able to learn about where their food is coming from and the local farmers and makers that are bringing it to them.
“We are still really hopeful that this will be an opportunity to leverage the changing grocery shopping habits of consumers for lasting change to benefit the local food movement,” says Jenna Moore. “We want to give those who don’t typically shop at farmers markets a practical way of supporting local food.”
The Paseo Farmers Market has also been able to connect and share guidance with other farmers markets and organizations, such as the National Farmers, both locally and nationally through various online platforms.
“It has been amazing to see how farmers markets all across the country have really embraced the challenges presented by COVID-19,” says Moore. “We have changed in thousands of different ways in our day-today operations, but not in our mission. All of these changes have definitely highlighted the adaptability of farmers markets, as well as their importance as local food sales outlets.”
This time has also seen volunteers for the Paseo Farmers Market increase.
“It’s been really amazing to see how people have stepped up to support us. We have had people volunteer to take beautiful photos for vendors or do different graphic designs for our shirts,” says Moore. “It’s very validating when you look into your inbox and see another person say, ‘I like what you guys are doing, how can I help?’ Engaging volunteers has been one way we have been able to retain the human connection component that is so important to us as a traditionally outdoor market.”
In addition to volunteers, the attitudes and actions of customers have been hugely motivating to the Farmers Market team.
Patrons display fun drawings in their car windows at pick-up, donate to on-site hygiene drives with TEEM, and return their used bags through their recycling program every week. It’s surprising and heart-warming to see the little ways the market has continued to forge community connections during these times of isolation and social distancing.
The online platform has been such a success for the Paseo Farmers Market that they are planning to operate year-round as both an online and in-person market with their own brick and mortar location in the near future.
This truly is a story of how shopping local can make a big difference in a community. Not only does buying locally bring tasty, fresh food to your table, but it also supports the people that provide it and continues to circulate money within your local economy.
The Paseo Farmers Market has a goal to be a catapult for beginning farmers and entrepreneurs for years to come. They hope to continue their work of providing access and education for people who are ready to start a career in local food. If you’re interested in getting involved on any level, visit paseofarmersmarket.com.
