Health

Farmer’s Markets begin to open for summer with COVID-19 precautions

PLYMOUTH, Mass. — With locally grown produce and other fresh foods, farmers markets are a welcome sign of summer.

The good news is many are starting to open across Massachusetts even though they’ve had to make some changes because of the coronavirus.

Produce straight from the farm, fresh fish and cheese, even home baked goods are just some of the items on sale at the first farmers market of the year in Plymouth.

“To me, personally, it’s very important to have a vibrant community outlet for fresh food,” said Dave Purpura, the organizer of the Plymouth Farmers Market and owner of Plato’s Harvest, an organic farm in Middleborough.

The market is different this year. It’s smaller and shoppers are met by a greeter and told how to move from vendor to vendor.

“People are craving greens,” said Purpura. “I sold out of lettuce in a half an hour. They’re craving green stuff and real food.”

Farmers are happy to be able to supply it.

“For me, it’s hugely important to have a strong community market because this stuff keeps coming every week...it’s got to go somewhere, it’s got to go somewhere,” said Purpura.

Now, it’s going into the bags of shoppers who are loading up on locally-sourced, fresh food.

“Massachusetts is one of the leading states in the country for farms selling direct to consumer,” explained John LeBeaux, the Massachusetts Commissioner of Agricultural Resources. “I think the last federal agricultural census said that we’re fifth in the nation.”

Starting in March, LeBeaux says state officials started looking at how farmers markets could operate safely during a pandemic.

“Social distancing, sanitizing, reducing touches, contact free point of sale, how one might buy with a credit card,” explained LeBeaux.

More than 200 farmers markets are now starting to open with these new guidelines, added LeBeaux.

“In normal times, it’s a critical part of the Massachusetts agricultural economy," he said. "It’s about 20 percent of the [agriculture] economy, going into retail like that.”

“This farmers market is my primary venue,” said Kathy Goonan who runs Log Cabin Bakers. “I have a commercial residential kitchen, I bake out of my house, and this is really the only place I sell.”

Goonan says the business opportunities of the market are important, but that it also plays a big role in creating a sense of community.

“It’s nice for them to be able to get all of the local produce and local goods everybody makes, but it’s a little social too, and a lot of that’s been missing,” she said.

LeBeaux says another change people can expect this year is fewer cultural events at markets, things like live music or events for kids. He says that’s to get people in and out more quickly to minimize crowds.

The state has produced an interactive map with all of the farmers markets.

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