Hey, What's Up?

Raised in Brooklyn, Sam (first image, left) is a Skidmore College graduate who moved to Providence a year ago for a less “gentrified” urban environment. She started working the coin exchange stand at the Broad Street Farmers Market in June for her first season. Edith (second image, right), one of the vendors, approaches the table to cash out her tokens. Kia, another vendor, later did the same and did not want to be photographed, but consented to having her quotes included. 

Sam: It’s a great summer gig. I needed some extra cash to pay bills. But I also really wanted to work at a place that fed my soul and aligned with my values. I was just randomly searching and I saw that this position was open and I was like, ‘okay, cool. Perfect.’ That's exactly what I need, a summer gig that's on the weekend, not during my full-time job, and is serving a community that I care about. 

I also am really happy that they assigned me to this market because it does function, I feel, more as a traditional market where it’s a marketplace and all the farmers are very themselves. You know, it's not for the aesthetic of the farmers market. It's very much like, ‘this is my bread and butter,’ and I really respect that and I love it. 

I think the people here are very real, in my opinion. Not to sound crass, but I feel like at other farmers markets, a lot of the people just put on airs. You know what I mean? They're like, (she uses a dramatic, mocking voice) ‘yeah, oh, my God, we're going to the farmers market.’ They're there for the aesthetic of it. But I feel like I come from a background where growing and selling fruit is a job. It's a market. And the customers here, they're mostly coming from third shifts. They’re nurses. They’re caseworkers. They’re social workers. And I really like them. Because I feel like I respect their time. They come here literally after they get off of their shift at, like, 6 a.m. Most of the time, every week, they’re like, ‘what time do you open?’ I’m like, ‘it’s always 8 a.m.’ But hey, I understand that. And they're just super chill. It's usually the same people over and over again so you kind of get to know them and you're like, ‘hey, what's up?’ 

I love Providence, that it's a small city so I still feel like I'm surrounded by fun stuff, but it's a lot easier to create a community here, where I know people and I feel like I can actually see them on a repetitive basis. Which is great. 

(Kia, one of the vendors, approaches the table and hands Sam a bag of tokens)

Sam: Oh, thank you! 

Kia: Today very slow. 

Sam: Very slow, look (she points to the list of people that used their vouchers that day), 15 people only. Usually it's the whole page, it's so slow. 

Kia: Oh my goodness. I'm not coming next week.

Sam: Really, this is your last week? Why? 

Kia: Because I don't have a lot of things for next week. 

Sam: I'm gonna miss you. 

Kia: I know. 

Sam: Hopefully I'll see you next summer.

Kia: Yes, we'll come back next summer.

Sam: Hopefully, if you’ll have me. Do you want me to come back?

Kia: Yeah! Every year they change new people.

Sam: Yeah. Wait, so how are you gonna get your check? 

Kia: Mail it to me. I think they have my address.

Sam: Yeah, they have to. I'm gonna make a note. I made a note: 'Mail to Kia.'

Kia: Thank you. Bye!

Sam: Bye! 

It's a great time. I really like it. It really fills my cup and I would do it as a full-time job. If I was able to afford living off of a salary on Farm Fresh, I would do it full-time.