Here’s how the coronavirus is changing Centre County farmers markets
Centre County’s spring and summer farmers markets have long provided fresh produce and supported the work of local farmers, but the coronavirus pandemic has prompted several changes.
The often bustling greenmarkets that traditionally have people perusing and tasting free samples have sought to comply with social distancing directives and find a new way to connect community members.
The weekly Pine Grove Mills Farmers Market is still scheduled to begin June 11. The outdoor market provides an outlet for farmers each Thursday to reap “the literal fruits of their hard labor,” market manager Casey VanNest said Tuesday.
“What I and many in our community value about farmers markets is it is a place to gather, to see your neighbors (and) to talk in length with farmers. Try(ing) to mitigate that this year breaks my heart,” VanNest said. “Humans are social creatures.”
The state Department of Agriculture encouraged farmers markets in mid-March to consider delivery, pickup or pre-packaged items, eliminate samples and eating areas, and provide workforce guidance.
The Pine Grove Mills and North Atherton Farmers Market, which is still scheduled to open May 16, are among those that have created new options to receive produce.
Centre Markets is a one-month-old online market that sells produce from the same vendors that are set to be at the North Atherton market, board member Sabine Carey said.
The market is also working to finalize a drive-thru section where customers can preorder a “community-supported agriculture-style box,” market president Bob Ricketts said.
“We’ve been working hard ever since this got started to mitigate any risk factors and have the best market season we can have given the circumstances,” Ricketts said.
The Boalsburg Farmers Market, which typically has its offerings in the parking lot of the Pennsylvania Military Museum during spring and summer, shifted to the St. John’s United Church of Christ parking lot and is not permitting self-service.
The Downtown State College Farmers Market postponed its Friday opening and is seeking an alternate, private location in the borough, market president Mike Byers said.
The State College Borough Council voted last week to cancel all special events in the borough through June 30. The market has not received permission to host its event along Locust Lane, Byers said.
“It all depends on finding a place to have the market,” Byers said. “... They’re going to be real different than what people are used to when they go to a farmers market. It’ll be more like going to a grocery store.”
The Millheim Farmers Market is scheduled to open for the season May 9. The Bellefonte Farmers Market began as scheduled April 25.
It was not clear as of Monday how the Philipsburg Community Farmers Market plan to proceed.
This story was originally published April 29, 2020 at 6:00 AM.