Community Corner
Outdoor Markets, A Safer Shopping Experience
Regulations are in place to make the Ellington Farmers Market safe during the COVID-19 pandemic as our world attempts to "re-open"
For several years farmers, food and craft vendors at the popular Ellington Farmers’ Market have openly displayed their wide variety of fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, fish, canned, baked and ready-made foods, and have encouraged prospective buyers to smell, touch and even sample their offerings. With new health department regulations in place to make the market safe during the COVID-19 pandemic as our world attempts to “re-open”, customers must point to their purchasing choices from afar. Although theme-based activities and live music have temporarily been suspended, patrons can purchase a wide variety of local and fresh food products along with locally-made bath and personal care items from 35 different vendors.
Health experts say that the new rules have made farmers markets one of the safest places for food shopping during the pandemic. Yvonne Michael, an epidemiologist at Drexel University School of Public Health stated, “There are benefits to visiting a farmers’ market in light of coronavirus in terms of the fact that you’re outside, there’s fresh air moving and the supply chain is shorter.” The outdoor setting, and the fact that food is going directly from the grower or producer to the customer (so there’s less handling than in bigger grocery stores) suggest that farmers’ markets are safer than grocery stores.
Ellington Farmers’ Market is held Saturday mornings from 9 AM – noon in the front parking lot of Ellington High School. Pre-ordering is an option for easy pick-up from individual vendors. Visit the market website at www.ellingtonfarmersmarket.com and click on the pre-order tab for links to individual vendors. Cash and carry sales are available at the market. You can also sign up for the market newsletter via the website to keep informed of all that is happening. Supporting the market now – during this challenging time – ensures that our local farms and food producers will survive and continue to provide a local food chain for everyone in our community and the surrounding area.