With Mayor London Breed announcing a shelter-in-place order to prevent the spread of COVID-19 earlier this week, and a statewide directive issued yesterday, many San Franciscans have rushed to stock up on food and other necessities in grocery stores, leading to long lines and empty shelves. Meanwhile, farmers markets remain open as an essential service, providing fresh produce and pantry items direct from local farmers.
While farmers continue to bring their harvests to market to feed our community, market sales have dropped tremendously, creating much uncertainty. “I have no idea how things will unfold in the coming weeks,” said Jill Kayne of Four Sisters Farm. Farmers and restaurants are rapidly adjusting their operations to this new reality, while many community members continue to rely on the farmers market for their basic food needs.