Although designated as an essential business, some farmers markets, including the popular Saturday open-air market at Kapiolani Community College, opted for several months of closure due to the pandemic. The reopening at the KCC campus is a welcome sight as it connects shoppers with freshly harvested, locally grown produce and prepared edibles.

While the shopping crowd is now thinner, due in large part to the slowdown in tourism, it’s still essential to comply with public health protocols. Plus, in a smart move, eating at the market, which tends to slow foot traffic and could lower mask-wearing compliance, now is prohibited.