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MAR VISTA, Calif. – From the ripest berries to the juiciest oranges Joshua Gil is here for all of it.

He is a chef and a regular at farmers markets like this one held on Sundays on Grand View near Venice Boulevard.

“This is the healthiest freshest way to get your product, you know where it’s coming from and you’re supporting the farm,” said Gil.  

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After last weekend, he made sure to get here early this time. Last weekend, some vendors sold out within hours, this week they stocked up to make sure they had enough for customers.

But even on this day, Gil couldn’t get the butter he wanted from his favorite dairy stand who was sold out of cultured butter.

Patty VanDyke works for Achadinah Cheese company which sells dairy products like cultured butter.

“Our products are from the farm direct that means that people have not touched it and we know exactly how the farmers are farming so they’re not have pesticides and all the things that’ll make people ill,” says VanDyke.

VanDyke sells at four different farmers markets throughout the L.A. area, her sales are up 20-percent since the coronavirus pandemic hit. Even though sales are up, there is no ignoring that things have changed. Now most vendors won’t let you handle their product, unless you buy it and you also won’t find samples.

 

 

The manager at the Mar Vista Farmers market also hired additional employees, one of them is being called the social distancing czar. A man who walks around and reminds people to stay six feet apart. But people here, even regulars like Gil don’t seem to mind.

“I worked with these farmers for years now, so I just want to keep supporting them now, especially with all this uncertainty,” says Gil.

While Joshua is supporting these farmers, they are helping support the community by staying open and making sure people have food on their table.