Based on its first week of the season, organizers of the Crossfield Farmers' Market (CFM) anticipate a successful summer.
The weekly outdoor market kicked off the 2020 season June 4 at the Crossfield Community Centre, with new health and safety guidelines in place to help limit the potential transmission of COVID-19. Market Manager Cheryl Shea said even with half the number of vendors as usual, the first day of the season was a tremendous success.
“I think it went very smoothly – we had 41 vendors, and we had all protocols in place,” she said. “The public was awesome, the vendors were great and Alberta Health Services (AHS) said we did a great job, so we’re pleased.”
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To comply with AHS guidelines, the market’s new protocols include spacing vendors out every two metres, establishing a one-way traffic flow for shoppers and setting up signage to remind people to practice social distancing. According to Shea, both vendors and shoppers seemed content to comply on opening day.
“Vendors are eager to get back to work, so they were super happy,” she said. “If they felt comfortable wearing a mask, they did, and had gloves and hand sanitizer. We put a lot of safety precautions in place, but everyone behaved beautifully.”
Shea said there was even enough room that CFM should be able to expand to 45 vendors in the coming weeks.
Vendors like Marsha Gelowitz, co-owner of Solstice Berry Farm, echoed Shea’s positive sentiments. The Dogpound-based farm was at CFM selling saskatoon berries.
“I was really thrilled by the response of people who came out to attend, shop with the vendors and see who was there,” Gelowitz said. “The measures are 100 per cent in line with what AHS has asked market managers and vendors to do to keep the public safe – and vendors safe as well.
“There was plenty of space and everyone was very comfortable. I think everyone had a wonderful time, including us as vendors.”
Solstice Berry Farm opened to the public in 2009, though Gelowitz said her family has been harvesting saskatoon berries since 2003.
With her farm located just a 30-minute drive from Crossfield, Gelowitz said CFM is one of the markets she attends most often, along with markets in Airdrie, Cochrane, Bearspaw, Millarville and Canmore.
Gelowitz said she always enjoys reconnecting with shoppers and other vendors every week.
“A lot of the locals will have known some of these vendors over the years, so it’s a great reintroduction every spring, when we kick off,” she said. “It’s a very exciting time for us, and we find the public is very excited too. I think the attitude is very positive on both sides and we’re just hoping the whole summer is like that, because we all need something positive in our lives right now.”
Another happy vendor was Colina Clark, co-owner of Cians Mustard – a Strathmore-based company.
“There was a lot of support from the community – a lot of people came out,” she said. “People were very diligent in following the protocols set up by the market and those set up by the vendors themselves, as well.”
Despite a reduced number of vendors, Clark said enthusiasm from customers did not wane.
“Fewer vendors didn’t really indicate fewer numbers in attendance,” she said. “I think if anything, with the way the world is right now with COVID, people are really focusing on supporting local and supporting local farmers' markets. They’re out there as much as they can be to support other local businesses.”
CFM will be held every Thursday from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. until Sept. 24.
Scott Strasser, AirdrieToday.com
Follow me on Twitter @scottstrasser19
