Pandemic or no pandemic, people are ready for market fresh produce.
Saturday’s turnout for opening day of the Ohio Valley Farmer’s Market proved that point. OVFM Manager Susan West noted the number of customers dwarfed previous seasons’ opening days. Up until restrictions started easing, there was a real fear the market’s opening was in jeopardy.
But West and other board members waited out the restrictions. As they eased, plans were put in motion, and vendors responded, some without much-advanced notice. The result is an Upper Ohio Valley summer shopping staple is back and stronger than ever.
Opening Day Part II is scheduled from 4-7 p.m. Thursday at the Ohio Valley Mall. Vendors will set up between Panera Bread and the new Chic-Fil-A.
Additional information can be found on the market’s website or Facebook page.
How did this year’s opening compare to those in years past in light of the last few months? More vendors and customers? Fewer?
We had a fantastic opening day! Other than the first two or three years after we moved to Bellaire in 2008, this was probably our best one. Our vendor count was about the same as a typical season start-up. We expect it to grow over the next few weeks. We definitely had far more customers than usual for week one.
What extra precautionary steps have vendors taken, and what are customers being asked to do in light of the continued distancing guidelines set forth by the governor?
The market is requiring vendors to check-in and take their temperature. We purchased an infrared thermometer for that purpose. They are wearing masks or using plexiglass to construct barriers between them and the shoppers. We stopped giving out samples and our free coffee and tea for now. We are not using cloth table covers and ask that hard surfaces be cleaned regularly. Vendors have to have hand sanitizer and use it between transactions. We have a couple handwashing stations on-site, as well. Shoppers are discouraged from touching products. And of course, everyone is asked to stay home if they aren’t feeling well.
Was there ever a point where you weren’t sure if the OVFM was going to be held? Did any of the vendors or customers share those concerns?
Yes, there was. I participated in several webinars in March and April. I told the Board then that if we had to open under the current guidelines for farmers’ markets, we would not be able to do so. We just didn’t have the resources, both staff and finances, to comply with what markets were being directed to do. At that time, only vendors with “essential” products could sell. We would have had to exclude quite a few of our regular vendors. However, we were always hopeful that restrictions would loosen as June approached and opening would be possible. We held off to the last minute for the latest updates, and our vendors didn’t get much notice, but we were able to pull things together and have a great turnout in week one. Some of our vendors are dealing with supply issues and plan to join us soon.
Has this affected any of the children’s programming you offer? If so, are there plans to bring that back later in the season?
Behind the scenes, our mode of operation since this started was to plan for things as usual. We felt it would be better to cancel events and activities rather than try to schedule them at the last minute. Week one, we had our gardens ready to go, and children could pick up a potted plant and take it to the garden area to plant it. It required limited contact with the kids by one adult, and no large groups were formed. We acquired a grant through the EQT Corporation for a Kids Can Cook program. We postponed it one week but will start it this coming Saturday. We are following the guidelines for day camps, so pre-registration is required in order to limit group size. Our other children’s activities are done throughout the morning as people arrive to shop, so we never have more than a few children at a time at the Kid’s Corner. Again, we will sanitize and have a handwashing station and hand sanitizer on-site. For those interested in the 10-week Kids Can Cook program, they can get more information and register online at ovfarmersmarket.org. All our children’s programs are free!
Speaking of children, you mentioned the junior vendors on Facebook. How has that gone over, and what kind of things are they offering?
Our Junior Vendors are amazing! I was inspired to recommend this program to the Board a couple of years ago. We have what we have affectionately come to call our “market kids,” the kids and grandkids of our vendors, who have been running around our market for years. It’s truly a blessing to see these children on-site helping with their parents’ and grandparents’ businesses. My granddaughter has been helping me and is slick when it comes to weighing produce, calculating totals, and making change the old-fashioned way. At 14, she has the selling skills of a veteran market vendor. Several years ago, she started her own tea business selling under my canopy. Other vendors started letting their kids bring products, so we decided to open it up to other children. If they want their own space, we waive the application fee but still charge them a weekly fee (albeit reduced.) We have JV’s with macramé plant hangers, baked goods, friendship bracelets, greeting cards with original artwork, and coasters with original photography. I can’t stress enough that these products are not amateurish. This is quality work and I am beyond proud of every one of them. I passionately believe they are learning life skills that will serve them well into the future and that they will become the next generation to believe in and support our local farmers’ markets and small businesses.
