Jesse Johnson listens to an order from a customer at Sunday's Market.
Hand sanitizer sits at the front of the produce at Johnson's Homegrown stand. The Johnsons regularly cleaned their hands behind the counter.
SEELEY LAKE - Rain fell onto the blue and white umbrellas keeping the Johnson's Homegrown stand dry for the Sunday, June 21 Farmers Market. The stand was the only vendor at the market, a rare sight when last year the entire lot of the Seeley Lake Community Foundation would be filled by merchants and customers.
"[The Missoula County's] regulations for farmers' markets were for produce only, so that is what we started with," said Carla Schade, Seeley Lake Community Foundation board member and Market liaison. "Under new event regulations, we should be able to have all our vendors, but of course, with a lot of safety requirements."
The Seeley Lake Market is just beginning to start up for the summer season. Schade said in past years the event was not only for local craft vendors but a meeting place for neighbors to catch up when the summer months get busy. Now customers are asked to stand six feet apart, wear masks and to not congregate in groups due to the coronavirus.
Jesse Johnson and his wife Chuad own Johnson's Homegrown and grow their produce on their farm west of Missoula. They have been selling greens to Seeley Lake and Missoula for years and continued with the coronavirus. They were glad they have been able to come out for the last three weeks.
"We have veggies that are growing regardless, so to be able to get those veggies to the people of this community is something we have been doing for 16 years," Johnson said.
On sale were a variety of fresh vegetables, which many buyers quickly stuffed into plastic bags as they passed through the stand. The Johnsons said while there was no huge rush from Seeley to get produce, there has been a constant trickle of people getting food for their homes.
Despite only having one stand for the first three weeks, other produce businesses and some processed food and drink will be able to start selling soon, according to Schade. There is no set time for the market to start expanding. Instead, the Foundation plans to add on sellers gradually, which should include another produce vendor for the June 28 event.
"Things will open up soon but right now we are tied to strict framework and guidelines," Schade said.
The guidelines are put into place by the Missoula City-County Health Department. Schade said they will enforce recommendations like wearing a mask, standing six feet apart from one another, having handwashing stations and keeping the number of people limited. Most customers followed these rules on June 21.
Johnson hoped to see more familiar faces behind booths in the near future but stressed the importance of having his customers safe and comfortable.
"We understand slowly opening up to kinda see what crowds come by," Johnson said. "If things are reasonable and people are comfortable and people can maintain safe standards, I welcome all of them back."
The next Seeley Lake Market will be Sunday, June 28 from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. outside the Seeley Lake Community Foundation.
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