More small Hawaii farmers are getting their food to customers via direct sales

In the precarious world of the small farmer, where everything from weather to pandemics are threats, there’s one unexpected upside to the temporary new world order: Exposure — not of the sun-and-rain variety; rather, exposure to the public.

With lost commercial accounts, the closure of some farmers markets and the institution of social distancing due to the coronavirus pandemic Opens in a new tab, more small farmers are getting their food to customers via direct sales, and some provide drive-thru service or even delivery.

“There’s a huge surge in demand from people looking for local products,” said Jay Bost, senior farm coach at GoFarm Hawai‘i, an organization that trains people to be farmers. “It’s an interesting time, bringing to light the importance of having a stronger, more resilient food system.”

GoFarm is now posting on its website a list of farms doing direct sales, as is FarmLovers Markets and the Hawaii Agriculture Foundation. The Hawaii Farm Bureau has opened Farm to Car, an online marketplace with curbside pickup. (Orders for the first pickup on April 8 is sold out. Check the site regularly; more dates and pickup locations are in the works.)

For details:

>> gofarmhawaii.org/find-your-farmer  Opens in a new tab

>> farmloversmarkets.com Opens in a new tab; check also FarmLovers’ Instagram and Facebook pages

>> hfbf.org/farm-to-car Opens in a new tab

>> hawaiiagfoundation.org/local-inside Opens in a new tab