Innisfil Farmers’ Market organizers have put a tentative hold on the 2020 season as they wait for public health and business guidelines to shake out.
“I’ve had a lot of people asking,” said Jaime Grant, chair of the Innisfil Farmers’ Market.
COVID-19 has caused many businesses to close, and while farmers’ markets are considered an essential business, the market may not open in June like it usually does.
“With all of the changes that have happened in the past six weeks, the farmers market committee ultimately decided to put everything on hold,” Grant said.
She said all of the vendors are ready to start, just when the rules about how things can operate are a little more concrete.
“The committee’s feeling is we’ll open the farmers market when it is safe to do so,” said Grant.
When it is safe to open the market, it will probably look a little different. One way in and one way out, vendor booths safely distanced, and only one person permitted to touch the food are a few likely changes.
“However this goes, we’re going to have some change,” Grant said. “We would like it to be as much like previous normal as possible.”
Another possible way forward for farmers’ markets is to implement online ordering and curbside pick.
Grant said that the market may consider that approach, but the committee is still considering the logistics of it.
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Shane MacDonald, Local Journalism Initiative, Barrie Advance
