Will be held in Waupaca city square
By Angie Landsverk
When the Waupaca Farmers Market opens for the season on Saturday, May 16, a number of changes will be in effect due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
During May, the market will be held on the city square from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturdays.
The community COVID-19 guidelines will include at least six feet of physical distancing among the vendors and customers.
Wearing a face mask will be recommended for both vendors and customers, and frequent hand sanitizing will be required.
Children are not to be brought to the market if child care is available.
Customers will not be able to handle products.
There will be a barrier rope between the vendors and customers.
Reusable bags and pets will not be allowed at the market.
Prepared foods will be packaged for consumption offsite.
People will be asked to minimize how many attend with them to help keep crowds smaller.
As of now, no events will be held at the market this summer.
“We are taking every precaution possible during the pandemic. I have created a set of guidelines for both our vendors and our customers with the aid of city, county and state officials,” market manager Lindsey Pietrzak wrote in a letter to Waupaca’s common council.
She presented information about this year’s market when the council met virtually on May 5.
With all members present, the council unanimously approved the plan.
Farmers markets are specifically noted as being allowed during the state’s Safer at Home order, City Administrator Aaron Jenson told the council.
Like grocery stores, markets are critical to the food supply, he said.
Only essential vendors
The market will consist of only essential vendors when it opens this weekend.
This will include vendors who sell produce, meat, eggs, baked goods, plants that produce food and beverages.
“We should have around seven vendors to start out with next Saturday, and potentially a couple more joining later in May,” Pietrzak told the Waupaca County Post. “Once the season picks up in June, we would have about five more that will be there.”
Products available this Saturday will include swiss chard, rhubarb, rosemary and thyme.
Later in May, Grilligans will be at the market.
Pietrzak said the food truck will be parked along the parking stalls on Union Street.
While the season will begin with essential products only, there will be a way for people to order non-essential items.
“We launched a new website for the market,” she said. “Customers can order online and pick it up at the market.”
Visit www.waupacafarmersmarket.org to order both essential and non-essential items.
The produce inventory will be updated by Tuesday mornings.
“Orders placed before 11:59 p.m. on Thursday will be ready for pickup by 9 a.m. at that Saturday’s market,” Pietrzak said. “Orders placed after 12 a.m. Friday will be ready for pickup at the following Saturday’s market.”
Limited delivery will be available for those with transportation issues.
Payment options at the market will include cash, credit/debit and SNAP/EBT.
She recommends those paying with cash try to have the exact change available to avoid excessive money handling.
The market will also start its SNAP Double Days Program this season.
“The second Saturday of every month when you swipe your EBT card at the market booth, we will match your swipe up to $10,” Pietrzak said. “If you swipe $10, we will give you another $10 to spend.”
She said the proceeds raised during Living the Waupaca Way’s 2019 Farm to Table Dinner are making the program possible.
Pietrzak told the council $47,583 was spent at the market last year.
Of that amount, $15,063 was on fruits and vegetables.
Last year, the market processed $1,925 in credit/debit and EBT transactions on its new card reader, she said.
The market typically had about 17 vendors during the 2019 season, with vendors traveling an average of nine miles to get to the market, Pietrzak said.
“The market is definitely gaining traction with vendors and customers,” she said.