Vendors

Lili (first image, left), who sells her produce at the Armory Park Farmers Market, explains how to prepare bitter ball (second image), a vegetable common in West African cuisine.

Ryan and Aly brought their youngest son, Callan, and their dogs to Armory Park to sell an array of produce, including Asian pears. As farmers with Native American ancestry, Ryan and Aly strive to maintain Indigenous agricultural practices. Ryan, who has Seneca blood, shares his connection to farming as Aly, who has Iroquois blood, tends to their customers.

Toni and Ellen are close friends who sell baked goods at the Armory Park Farmers Market. They asked not to have their stand photographed.

Edith, a farmer from Nimba County, Liberia, comes from a family of farmers. She moved to Providence in 1994 and loves the sense of community that working at the Broad Street Farmers Market has given her. She is a member of the Southside Community Land Trust, which manages community gardens and farms in the Providence area.

Every so often, the Broad Street Farmers Market has an African cooking demonstration. Today, Martha (first image) brings out her portable stovetop to make a traditional Ethiopian breakfast, which she gives to customers in generous portions for free. Jair (third image, left), a vendor who is learning an ancient language called Ge’ez originating from Ethiopia and Eritrea, overhears that she is Ethiopian and joins in.

Jair is an apprentice for Kia, an experienced farmer, and together they come every Saturday to the Broad Street Farmers Market to sell their produce. Jair has been farming for two years; he discusses his relationship with nature as he eats a traditional Ethiopian breakfast made by Martha, a chef giving out free samples at the market.

For Ploua (first image, third to the right), her sons Fue (first image, center) and Kou (first image, left), and her husband Wang (second image, center left), farming is a family business rooted in their Hmong heritage. The Central Falls Farmers Market is in the parking lot of Children’s Friend, an organization that provides services for children and their families. Many of their customers pay with WIC. The family also has a stand at the Broad Street Farmers Market and the West Warwick Farmers Market.

Español: Una pareja de origen dominicano, Teo (primera foto) y Margarita (segunda foto) son muy populares entre los clientes de Farm Fresh RI, especialmente lxs latines. Venden sus productos en los mercados de agricultores en Central Falls, Armory Park y Neutaconkanut, pero esta entrevista se hizo en Central Falls. Al principio, Margarita estaba almorzando un plato típico dominicano (cuarta foto).

English: A couple of Dominican origin, Teo (first photo) and Margarita (second photo) are very popular with Farm Fresh customers, especially among Latinx people. They sell their produce at the farmers markets in Central Falls, Armory Park, and Neutaconkanut. This interview happened in Central Falls. Margarita had a typical Dominican dish for lunch (fourth photo).

Xeng (first image, center) and Lia (first image, right) are Hmong farmers from Laos who own a farm in Johnston, RI, where they allow customers to visit. The Neutaconkanut Farmers Market is the only Farm Fresh market they go to.

A team of people from The Miriam Hospital Weight Control & Diabetes Research Center set up a stand at the Woonsocket Farmers Market to recruit participants for their studies and increase awareness about various health issues. They also go to other Farm Fresh farmers markets to promote their research. Rivka (right) is sitting with fellow researchers Emma, Olivia, and Jill (left to right). Rivka is the hospital’s community outreach specialist.

Crooks Farm has been selling produce at the Woonsocket Farmers Market for several years, but for Matthew (in the green apron)—a long-time customer of the farm—this is his first year running the stand.

Xang (first image, left) and Chai (first image, right) help run a family farm and sell produce at several farmers markets in the area, with Woonsocket Farmers market being the only one run by Farm Fresh RI. Xang regularly pauses to translate what Chai says in Hmong.