Corona Crops: How the Rhinebeck Farmers Market Managed COVID-19.
On a bright Sunday morning in Rhinebeck, the local farmers market is filled with happy shoppers. The only difference from years past is the social distancing precautions and other pandemic safeguards.
COVID-19 has left an imprint on our everyday lives, but one aspect of the Rhinebeck community that has persevered through the pandemic has been the farmers market. Even though shoppers can not shop as freely as they used to, the market still has a line wrapped around the corner. There is a man counting capacity at the entrance and a map depicting how people are expected to walk through the market. Vendors are helping customers while wearing gloves and masks and shoppers are maintaining social distancing rules and pointing to which bunch of kale they want to take home.
The market follows the guidelines set by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets which include, no on-site sampling, limiting the number of customers permitted at a table, and minimizing the food customers may directly access, just to name a few.
“We’ve been running a tight ship all along and that’s what we’re going to be continuing to do,” said Andrea Bartolomeo, the business marketing manager for the Rhinebeck Farmers Market. She is the liaison between vendors and the market’s board of directors and manages everything from vendor applications to the market’s social media. She has seen how the market has had to adapt and change because of the pandemic. The farmers market attracts many customers, their primary customers being of the age that would be concerned with COVID-19, one of the reasons that maintaining this tight ship is so important.
While shoppers at the market had to adapt to the new COVID-19 rules, the vendors who take part in the market every week were facing uncertainty and concerns. Booths needed to be remerchandised, extra staff needed to be hired, and making sure everyone was prepared for the unknown was a challenge itself. Getting people masks, cleaning supplies, and overall support leading up to the season was a unique task that Andrea had to prepare for.
It comes as a surprise that during a pandemic, the farmers have been quite happy with their sales, “It’s really important that the farmers market was maintained for them as a place to sell every week and had the best practices to bring in as many shoppers as possible.” By creating a safe place for consumers and farmers alike, the market has been able to function almost as they would normally, Andrea even mentioned that the market, “ has been busier.” With the nice weather and the frustration of quarantine having passed, regular and new customers alike have been frequenting the farmers market.
There are no events this year, but with the fall harvest right around the corner, Andrea’s advice for visitors of the farmers market when heading into the cold winter months ahead of us? Canning! “Everyone should get excited about the fall harvest, think about canning, think about freezing, and thinking about stocking up again. Some people are worried about another spike and what will happen to the food system and its time to preserve, can, and store whatever you can.”
The Rhinebeck Farmers Market is open every Sunday, May 3rd through December 27th, 10 AM to 2 PM, and shoppers ages 60+, immunocompromised or expectant mothers can shop 10 AM — 10:30 AM.
