Posted on 03/22/2020 3:18:23 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Farmers markets are still considered an essential business in California, but big safety changes have been mandated.
"I've been coming every Saturday for the past 38 years. I don't buy fruits and vegetables anywhere but the farmers market, never will," Ruth Vivenzi, a farmers market shopper.
The California Department of Food and Agriculture said people won't have to venture elsewhere for local produce shopping. It's allowing farmers markets to stay open during the COVID-19 pandemic because they provide essentials, but that also means they have to make some changes while operating. The Aptos farmers market started making those changes Saturday.
"People are wearing gloves, we have sanitizers, we have areas people can wash hands. We've stopped all market music. Some of the vendors don't have tables and chairs," said Catherine Barr, the Monterey Bay Certified Farmers Market executive director.
People are also being asked to grab and go, and not to linger. These few rules, some said don't scare them away.
"(I am) so appreciative. I think it's just wonderful. They are helping us stay healthy and feeding us," Vivenzi said.
Merchants are also offering hand sanitizer and hand-washing stations. Some have rules such as "you touch it, you buy it."
The New Natives Farm has retrained its staff around COVID-19. It told staff to wash their hands more frequently and stay home if they're sick.
"The most important thing we are doing with COVID-19 is we're providing really good food, immune boosters to keep the body strong. These are all foodies here. We are all foodies. And we all know, the reason everybody is coming is we know we have the best food in the world. This is California, Central Coast, mainly organic. We eat like queens and kings and people are coming here and they know that," said Sandra Ward, New Natives Farm founder.
The farmers market in Oldtown Salinas is still up and running Saturday. The Monterey Peninsula College is not allowing a farmers market at the school. The Del Monte Shopping Center is allowing that market to set up in its parking lot, starting next Friday from 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
Good. I hope when summer’s bounty starts coming in, Farmers’ Markets will be allowed everywhere.
On a related note, it looks like the early crop of Florida sweet corn is starting to come in. I hope it’s a big one.
God bless our farmer’s markets.
“you touch it, you buy it.”
Might be better to have them not be self-service, with lots of glove-washing/changing.
“Might be better to have them not be self-service, with lots of glove-washing/changing.”
That makes great sense. I presume most people are like me. For example fruit: I like to pick up several pieces to squeeze, find piece that are heavy for their weight and cop a sniff on the stem end to see if they smell fruity. With your suggestion, that would be verboten, and I’d have to go from visual appearance only.
yes, they sell food and food is essential.
Sometimes they have musicians playing at the farmers market. You can tip them, or sometimes buy their CDs.
Farmers Market? How much does a farmer cost?
Farmers Market? How much does a farmer cost?
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The market in farmers fluctuates considerably and can vary day to day.
That makes sense.
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