What’s been going on! 

Coronavirus and the market, what to do?  Not to panic and to use common sense of course!  While the Market is a “public gathering” it is not a tightly packed indoor location with many of the kinds of hard surfaces that the virus can be easily picked up from.  Being outdoors, with disinfecting sunlight, makes it far safer than an indoor situation.  The keys to not spreading the virus are hand sanitation, not touching your face and “social isolation”.

Betsy and I have always joked that we are agricultural shut-ins but in this case all of the farmers are “socially isolated” for the most part of their week, only coming to town to deliver and attend market.  We encourage anyone who is sick in any way not to go out in public and any people who are more vulnerable, those over 65 or with compromised systems, to take whatever precautions they feel necessary.

The rest of us can just be more careful and patient at market by giving each other more space, washing our hands or using sanitizer frequently after touching common surfaces like door handles and money.  There is no evidence that the virus is spread on food, especially if cooked.  Betsy and I will be handling all produce and flowers ourselves in the coming weeks to keep contact to a minimum. We will direct the customer to indicate what they want, we will then pick it up, bag and wrap all produce and flowers and then hand them to the customer.

We are encouraging the Market to provide more handwashing stations around the market and, if we can get them, also placing large bottles of hand sanitizer around as well.  Be aware that the Carrboro Farmers’ Market may decide to close for a while if that is the recommendation from Public Health officials.

Markets are grappling with their role as public gathering spaces that are vital to food access for consumers and the livelihoods of farmers.  You all need to eat and the farmers really need to sell all of the produce that they have been tending for months, together we can make the market experience healthy.

Picture of the week

Red Little Gem looking good for next week

What’s going to be at Market?

Finally a warm and non-windy market day.

The flood of Ranunculus has begun, like miniature peonies, orange, red and maroon. Still tons of Anemones but they are finally beginning to wane.  We all need some brightness!

Green Little Gem lettuce, crunchy red Radishes and the first tender and sweet Japanese Turnips.

As a reminder if there is anything that you would like for us to hold for you at market just let us know by e-mail, by the evening before, and we will be glad to put it aside for you.

Hope to see you all at the market!

Alex and Betsy

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