Article by Dan Lederer
The Newport Daily News
July 29th, 2020
ACT was recently given a generous Challenge Grant from an anonymous donor who stipulates donations made before Aug. 15 will be matched, dollar for dollar, up to $25,000.
There are many things you expect to see at a farmers market. Locally grown produce. Fresh-cut flowers. Eggs from happy chickens. Everything you need to bring a delicious farm-to-table meal right from your reusable shopping tote to your own home kitchen.
It all makes for an idyllic scene, something out of a movie where the free-spirited main character breezily shops and laughs along with the cheerful vendors in a blissful tone-setting montage. It’s what you don’t see that makes farmers markets not just beautiful, but also important.
You don’t see the organizing or the community support that enables local growers, farmers and artisans to sell their goods directly to consumers.
You don’t see the farmers and vendors packing up their coolers full of chops and steaks and their crates of freshly picked peaches along with the heavy tables and tents, shuttling it all to the market hoping they can sell through their inventory.
You don’t see them sitting in 90-degree heat or waiting out the sudden summer downpours so they can try to turn their hard work into a small profit. It’s hard work, but nobody ever said farming was easy. Lucky for us, farmers persist.
When the coronavirus shut down most of the community in late March, we were all affected, including our local farmers and artisans. Farmers no longer could rely on commercial orders from those restaurants that had once proudly featured locally grown produce, meats and fish on their menus. The business was no longer there for restaurants, which meant the suppliers were out of luck, too. Thus, farmers markets have become much more important. But what do farmers markets look like in a COVID-19 world?
The Aquidneck Community Table (ACT) is the organization behind the Aquidneck Growers Markets held Saturday mornings from 9 a.m. to noon at Pell Elementary School in Newport and on Wednesdays from 2 to 6 p.m. on Memorial Boulevard.
The organization operates safe, accessible marketplaces for more than 30 local farmers and food businesses and helps keep close to two million food dollars in the regional economy annually. It also provides many of its growers and makers support in their continued effort to offer delivery services during the pandemic.
Beyond organizing the markets, despite obstacles presented by COVID-19, ACT continues to pursue its core mission to build a healthy and sustainable food system to serve every Aquidneck Island resident. It has fostered new partnerships and launched programs to expand access to locally grown produce. Meanwhile, it has also secured over 4,000 pounds of vendor-donated food that has been distributed to local food pantries.
When COVID-19 hit, ACT had to pivot quickly to meet the challenges. The markets are still busy, but they look a bit different. There are masks (something that we should all be used to by now). Space has been allotted at each tent to mark the 6 feet required for safe social distancing. The produce and products are kept behind plexiglass and makeshift boundaries so only the vendors can touch them.
There is also a limit to how many people can attend the market at once.
“I was very pleased with the ‘crowd’ control. Thank you [to ACT] for creating a safe shopping experience,” local shopper Lew Keen said.
Still, the markets have all the offerings that make you want to be there. The vendors have beautiful, fresh produce and mouthwatering goods to buy. The friendly chefs, farmers and bakers are there to answer your questions. The bounty of a New England summer is on full display.
They just need you.
And we need them. ACT was recently given a generous Challenge Grant from an anonymous donor who stipulates donations made before Aug. 15 will be matched, dollar for dollar, up to $25,000. Because economic hardships created by COVID-19 will deepen into autumn, ACT is asking for the help and support of community members to join in not only as market goers, gardeners and volunteers but also as donors.
By giving before the Aug. 15 deadline, the community can receive double the benefits. According to national hunger relief organization Feeding America, food insecurity in Rhode Island is projected to increase by 45% in 2020. More than 175,000 people, including 27% of Rhode Island’s children, will lack access to enough food.
Donating right now ensures ACT can continue to provide Rhode Islanders from all socioeconomic levels with access to fresh, local produce, fish, meats, flowers, dairy products and more. Donations and this generous match will sustain ACT programs throughout this year of coming changes.
It will also contribute to another critical part of its mission: teaching the next generation how to build a sustainable, efficient, and equitable food system that serves all on Aquidneck Island.
Please donate if you can. And keep shopping at the Aquidneck Growers Markets. There are some hardworking farmers and artisans who appreciate your business. It’s time for us to appreciate theirs.
The donate or for more information, visit the Aquidneck Community Table website at aquidneckcommunitytable.org/donate or swing by its table at the next Aquidneck Growers Market.
Dan Lederer is a Middletown resident with 30 years experience in the food service industry throughout New England. He continues to work locally behind the scenes within the industry and remains a devoted fan of all things restaurant and hospitality related. His column will appear Thursdays in The Daily News. Cheers!