Although the NC Department of Health and Human Services has recently clarified that farmers markets are classified as groceries and may remain open, many markets in the state or other parts of the country will see decreased traffic or choose to remain closed until the threat of COVID-19 has passed. This means many farmers are faced with the problem of how to continue to sell their products through alternative market channels. Fortunately, as more families are spending time at home and cooking their own meals, there is a great opportunity for farmers to connect with new consumers and continue to sell their products. If you’re a farmers market manager looking for ways to support the vendors while the market is closed, here are a few ideas for how you can help boost farmers pre-order and delivery sales.
- Share the News: In addition to the individual farmer’s social media pages, website, and e-newsletter, market managers can share and repost through the farmers market communication channels.
- Use the Market Site: For farmers who are willing to do prepackaged drop-off sales, they may want to use the existing market site, date, or time as a means of consistency for customers.
- Scope Alternative Drop-off Sites: If the market site is no longer available for any kind of drop-off option, managers could help farmers find alternative drop-off locations in convenient, recognizable locations around the community.
- Get Farmers on the Map: Carolina Farm Stewardship Association has created an interactive Google map that shows farms across North Carolina and South Carolina that offer online sales, drop-off and home delivery.