Most of the farmers I’ve spoken to at Portland’s “new” outdoor market in Deering Oaks are relieved that it’s allowed to operate. One farmer told me there were tough negotiations with the city who set out to make very strict rules governing the market to address the various pandemic issues of shopping there. Has the city, as it usually does, gone too far? The vendors prevailed and negotiated hard to be allowed to operate in a reasonable fashion.
The redone Portland Farmer’s Market
The lonely one way road at Portland’s farmers market
One casualty is that tokens are no longer available. Shoppers must carry cash or pay with credit or debit cards; not all vendors take cards. There’s still a token booth but only available to SNAP-benefit shoppers. The reason being that there’s less passing around by touchy-feely germ-laden shoppers whose hands and fingers are more subject to Covid 19 germs. Does one presume then that SNAP beneficiaries are less likely to spread the virus? Are cash and carry paper money and plastic cards safer? Few farmers thinks this was a wise decision. Hasn’t the city read about pandemic germs not staying on certain surfaces like a wooden token? Take it up with City Hall, a fate worse than catching a cold.
The physical layout of Portland’s Saturday and Wednesday markets (more on that later) is only for the agile shopper. Vendors are spread out in a nearly mile long bifurcated pathway navigating the vast market grounds. You enter a one-way stretch of roadway with vendors lined up along one side, farther apart than the eye can see. If you wish to double back you use the skinny sidewalk to go in the opposite direction. If you want to go to the other side of the park to visit the other vendors like Goranson Farm and Snell Farm you have only one lawful choice. Walk to the end of the market, about 6 city blocks long, make a left turn through some knee-high brush to get to the other side for a good half-mile stretch of pathway to visit the other vendors. If you went back to the parking area, then walk a few blocks to the other lineup of vendors you can’t enter this one-way promenade except from behind the route. I tried this weekend and was stopped. I gave the attendant a stern look and walked on the narrow stretch of sidewalk to get me where I wanted to go.
No worries about being shoulder to shoulder at Portland market
The purpose is to keep the amount of shoppers down and to keep them spaced apart by at least 6 feet, but it’s really much more than that. The market in the first few hours of the morning is not heavily trafficked by the usual throng of shoppers that used to be. The entire experience is not fun. But we must all make sacrifices to stay healthy and safe.
Wednesday’s popular Monument Square marketplace is gone, taking place instead at Deering Oaks Park . This deprives office works and city residents to shop there, and having to rely on car or other transport to get to the park. If only Trump ran the market we’d all be allowed to congregate en masse and unmasked according to the feral wisdom of our pompadour orange leader (doesn’t his hair look like a young Travolta’s coif pummeled in a car wash?) who just proclaimed the pandemic in his latest rally in Tulsa (a big no-show BTW) as “Kung Flu.” OMG.
The alternative is to go elsewhere. Not an ideal thought. But if you like relatively free-flowing venues, here’s your other choices.
The Brunswick Farmer’s Market held at the Brunswick High School grounds has 30 -plus vendors over a free-flowing, easy to manage route on the school’s expansive campus, with plenty of hassle-free parking
Let me say that I’ve followed the same routine for years. I go to the Portland market early Saturday morning. Then visit the Brunswick summer Saturday market. The new market in Brunswick that used to operate at Crystal Springs Farm moved to the Brunswick High School Grounds. The market is great, lots of vendors, well spaced apart, but it doesn’t feel like you’re walking on the moon or entering an ICU floor. Then on to Bisson’s in Topsham for their farm meats and dairy; though their new rules don’t allow inside shopping but you have to order ahead for curbside pickup. I liked browsing and looking at the meat and dairy cases before deciding what to buy. That pleasure is gone.
It’s also worthwhile to visit the Gibbs gas station on Route 196 (the cheapest gas) and then a quick detour to the Topsham Fair Mall where I dip into Target to get household supplies. On the way back to Portland I’ll stop at the Cumberland Farmers’ Market where items like strawberries are a dollar or two cheaper than strawberries in Portland. The vendors are varied selling everything from cakes, pastries, empanadas, homemade pasta and all the vegetables you need (Jillson’s farm stand is the most popular.)
The Cumberland Farmer’ s Market on Tuttle Road Is a sweet neighborhood market that reflect’s the region’s agricultural roots. Strawberries and carrots at Jillson Farm
The rest of Cumberland Center is a hub for farm food. Stop at Pine Ridge Acres at 40 Winn Rd. on Saturdays (otherwise it’s open 7 days a week, 24 hours, self serve with cash or check dropped into a lock box or credit and debit cards). The best farm raised meats are available fresh or frozen and on Saturdays there are seafood vendors selling locally caught haddock to lobster. There’s even a few vegetable vendors there, too, on Saturdays.
Top, counter clockwise: Winter Hill Farm store, Pine Ridge Acres store, Spring Brooks Farm store
There are virtually no early summer vegetables at Portland’s market except for lettuces, asparagus, rhubarb and just arrived strawberries and the like. This past Saturday at the Cumberland market I bought fresh dug carrots, yellow zucchini, freshly put up strawberry jam; potatoes should arrive by next week and then the usual flow of summer’s bounty to follow.
And make a stop at Cumberland Food Company up the road from the farmers market on Tuttle Road. Order some breakfast or lunch sandwiches and eat out at the delightful patio under a canopy of trees. Or you can buy their freshly made English Muffins, bagels and jams and even some vegetable in the shop to take home.
You can then go through Cumberland Center Village onto Greeley Road to Spring Brook Farm, which is one of the first farm stores I went to when I moved to Maine in 2002. The farm has been in operation since the 1800s. They have all the meats and poultry raised on their farm plus vegetables and homemade meals from their commercial kitchen. A bit farther up the coast try the Winter Hill Farm store. All their cheeses, dairy, flowers and meat are available at this small farm store. It’s off the beaten path but worth the trip for its rustic setting and charms.
Cumberland Food Company store and patio; Spring Brook Farm
The trip is fun, the scenery along the farm-studded roads of Cumberland Center are bucolic, and it’s a nice break from city concrete just a few miles north of of downtown Portland. At other times I go to Cape Elizabeth where besides gorgeous beaches and seaside mansion, it’s still farm country. Alewive’s farm store off Route 77 is a great place to buy all the things sold at their vendor stations at farmers’ markets without the fuss and muss of market shopping. Then onto Jordan’s Farm store where the bounty is great. Maxwell’s supplies the store with strawberries until their own are harvested. And each year I look forward to getting Bibb’s corn, some of the best corn around. There’s plenty of asparagus and other spring vegetables. Then take a trip to South Portland to Solo Cucina Market, the redone Farm Stand store now a mini version of Solo Italiano Restaurant. All the vegetables are from Jordan’s Farm (co-owner) and lots of prepared dishes from Solo’s kitchen. And you can shop inside the store with very little restrictions other than wearing a mask and washing your hands with disinfectant. Whew!
As for Portland’s farmers’ market, the current system is just plain stupid. The farmers don’t like it (and there are less vendors) and I suspect that shoppers like me are not so thrilled. The city’s intentions were good, but as usual Byzantine and ill conceived. But we grin and bear if only to support the local economy.
