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At 10 a.m. on Sunday morning, the Temescal Farmers Market in the Oakland DMV parking lot bustled with activity. Well, six-feet-apart activity. Lines for different stalls stretched out onto the sidewalk, with socially-distanced waiting spots outlined in chalk. Some shoppers wore masks. Others cleaned their hands at a handwashing station. Instead of rifling through the produce, people pointed out the fruits and vegetables they wanted, and farmers placed them in bags.

And lo and behold: Onions! Garlic! Long-lasting root vegetables! Eggs! Milk! Items that are near-impossible to find at the grocery store right now were in abundance. And despite long lines for some items, such as strawberries and avocados, the atmosphere was quite calm compared to the hysteria of a Trader Joe's or Safeway right now.

Before the shelter-in-place order was implemented in counties across the Bay Area, farmers markets were unsure if they would be allowed to continue operating during the coronavirus pandemic.

"Farmers markets were kind of in this grey zone because they weren't called out explicitly in some of the orders getting issued around what was essential," said Brie Mazurek, communications director at the Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture, which runs the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market in San Francisco. "We really didn't want them to get shut down because they are such a lifeline and direct line to our food source in the community, especially in a moment of crisis like this."

Some farmers markets did shut down, like the Jack London Square market. But the shelter-in-place order announced on Mar. 16 permitted them to continue operating. Organizers argue this decision is not only vital to the livelihood of small local farmers, but also to the health and well-being of the community as a whole.

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"Right now I think definitely farmers markets are a much safer environment in that you are outside in open air, and there's a lot more room to move and maneuver than in a grocery store," said Mazurek. "The food is also coming a much shorter distance — there are fewer hands handling it from the moment it's picked to the moment it's available at the market."

Other measures the market is taking to protect the community include adjusting the market layout to provide more space between booths for social distancing, suspending product sampling, providing hand washing stations, postponing cooking demos, eliminating cafe seating and requiring prepared food vendors to package food in to-go containers.

"People aren't being encouraged to linger in the farmers market — which is hard because many people want the social experience — but we encourage people to get their food and go on with their day," explained Mazurek.

Okay, so farmers markets might be great for fresh fruits and vegetables, but what about all the rest of the food you need? Mazurek says that it's a common misconception that you can only get produce at the farmers market. In fact, you can actually find a lot of pantry staples as well, such as dried beans, rice, flours and grains, nuts and nut butters, pickles and canned goods (CUESA published a guide to pantry staples at the farmers market you can find here).

And while some items may be pricier than at the grocery store, Mazurek also notes that people can spend their CalFresh EBT benefits at CUESA farmers markets and get the value matched with the Market Match program. For the price, she says you're also getting fresh, sustainable food and supporting local farmers — who typically rely on now-declining sales from restaurants — in the process.

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"With a lot of restaurant closures seeing a huge hit in their sales, that is trickling down to our farmers too," said Mazurek.

The Ferry Plaza market has been unusually quiet since the pandemic set in — which is good for social distancing, albeit not great for sales. Markets in more residential areas, however, have been busier. The Temescal Farmers Market, which is one of ten markets run by the Urban Village Farmers Market Association, was fairly busy last Sunday, although they were implementing all of the same safety measures as the Ferry Plaza market.

There were a few too many people there to practice social distancing perfectly, especially when walking between vendors. But it still felt safer than the confined environment of the grocery store. And getting food felt less desperate.

"I think right now grocery stores are struggling to keep up with the demand," said Mazurek. "Farmers markets have such an important role to play in getting the food that is right there in our backyard to the people that need it right now."

If you're thinking of visiting a farmers market, Mazurek recommends getting there right when it opens — it'll be the quietest time of day, and you'll have the most options to choose from. And if you're trying to get in and out even faster, some farms are also offering CSA-style produce boxes customers can order ahead online and pick up at designated locations, including some farmers markets.

Visit localharvest.org for a searchable directory of farmers markets, but check ahead with your local market’s website to confirm it’s open.

Ferry Plaza Farmers Market (San Francisco): Saturday 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Tuesday & Thursday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Temescal Farmers Market (Oakland): Sunday 9 a.m to 1 p.m.

Madeline Wells is an SFGATE associate digital reporter. Email: madeline.wells@sfgate.com | Twitter: @madwells22