Published May 13, 2020
By MARK SARDELLA
WAKEFIELD — Despite the COVID-19 shutdown’s impact on life and commerce, the Wakefield Farmers Market will be back in 2020, albeit with modifications. The Town Council this week approved the 2020 Farmers Market contract, which will allow it to return to Hall Park on North Avenue beginning Saturday, June 20.
Representing the Farmers Market, Rob Darnell appeared at this week’s Town Council meeting. He reviewed some of the changes that will be in place at the Wakefield Farmers Market this summer as a result of COVID-19.
He said that the mission of the 2020 Wakefield Farmers Market (WFM) during the COVID-19 pandemic is to provide an essential farmers market to give people the opportunity to buy local produce, meats, dairy and other foods.
“Per the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, we have a few rules to keep our customers, vendors and volunteers safe,” Darnell explained.
For example, when possible, the market requests that only one family member at a time come to shop, since only a small number of shoppers will be allowed into the shopping area at one time.
Social distancing will be required – 6 feet in every direction, and wearing a mask or face covering will be mandatory.
Customers will be asked to pre-order whenever possible. The WFM website will have vendor info for pre-ordering. In fact, Darnell, said, the first three weeks will be pick up only, and for the first three weeks there will only be 10 vendors selling vegetables, meat, poultry and grains. After the first three weeks, additional food vendors may be added.
No reusable bags will be allowed, and only food vendors will be present. There will be no entertainment and dogs will not be allowed.
A hand washing station will be made available and there will be no public toilets.
Darnell used a diagram to show the layout of booths, which will be set up in a straight line to allow for one-way traffic flow in and out. He also showed examples of signage that will be used to communicate the new COVID-related rules to market customers.
Barriers, fencing and rope will be used to assist in crowd control. The market tent will have a clear screen to separate the volunteers from point of sale and all market staff and vendors will be wearing masks and gloves. There will be no tablecloths, no samples, no music, no entertainment, no fundraising, no kids tent and no live cooking demos.
The Farmers Market will still be accepting SNAP/EBT, WIC, FMNP Coupons and Seniors’ Coupons. They will continue the SNAP match.
Darnell said that the 2020 Wakefield Farmers Market contract with the town is essentially the same as previous years. For this year only, a provision requiring a table for local non-profit organizations was removed.
The Town Council vote to approve the 2020 contract was unanimous.
