‘Hopefully we won’t miss out on the cherries in May’: Glendale’s only farmers market closes during pandemic
Glendale’s sole farmers market will not be bringing fresh fruits and veggies to the quaint neighborhood of Montrose for at least the rest of the month.
Usually open rain, shine or fire season every Sunday, Montrose Harvest Market’s closure comes as its organizers try to balance the safety of staff and farmers, as well as the bottom line, amid the coronavirus pandemic.
In May, the organizers will reevaluate whether or not to reopen, market manager Mark Sheridan said on Wednesday.
“The good news is that the main fruit season is still yet to come, so hopefully we won’t miss out on the cherries by the end of May,” said Sheridan, who has managed the market for 15 years.
The closure is not related to L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti’s announcement earlier this week suspending farmers markets until they submit social-distancing plans.
Garcetti’s order only applied to the city of Los Angeles, leaving other cities in the county, like Glendale, Pasadena, Culver City and Santa Monica to make their own calls.
On Tuesday, Glendale officials said the city’s only farmers market could stay open, adding that the organizers had already implemented safety precautions in light of the ongoing pandemic.
“The city and market staff are dedicated to adhering to health and safety standards, and providing safe and reliable access to nutritious foods necessary to a healthy community,” city spokeswoman Eliza Papazian said in a statement.
Vendors were spread farther apart, and customers were required to stand 6 feet apart, guided by chalk lines drawn on the ground, Sheridan said.
Hand-washing stations were placed throughout the market, and vendors were required to wash their hands every 30 minutes. Customers were asked to touch only items they intended to buy, he added.
Unlike reportedly packed farmers markets in L.A. over the weekend that prompted their temporary suspension, the Glendale market has seen a significant reduction in visitors, Sheridan said.
Drawing 4,000 to 5,000 customers on a good day, there has been “a lot less than that,” the past two weeks, according to Sheridan, adding that market organizers didn’t do a tally.
Meanwhile, the number of coronavirus cases in Glendale continues to rise rapidly. As of Wednesday, there were 86 confirmed cases of the virus in Glendale, and one resident has died from the virus. At least 3,518 cases have been reported in the county.
Sheridan said the combination of the revenue loss and desire to protect market workers and patrons led to the difficult decision.
“It will be a great loss to the community because fresh fruits and veggies are the first line of defense for [boosting] the immune system,” Sheridan said.
During a press briefing yesterday, Garcetti said two dozen markets in L.A. were given the green light to keep operating after showing that they would implement safety precautions.