GREENFIELD — By mid-morning, vendors and organizers at the Greenfield Farmers Market on Saturday were beginning to adjust to what one volunteer called, “the new normal.”
“It was a little bit of a rough start,” said Maria Topitzer, manager and primary grower at Lyonsville Farm in Buckland.
The farm’s ninth appearance at the Greenfield Farmers Market on Saturday was unlike any other, as organizers and volunteers found a way to safely bring the market to the city during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We’re noting what needs to be improved for next time,” she said. “Our focus is making the customers feel comfortable and happy.”
Topitzer said they want to help people move through the line quickly, assuaging any frustrations customers may have as a result of the market’s new setup.
Customers were instructed to follow the blue arrows around city hall to where a line formed at the entrance of the market on Court Square, next to Greenfield Common. A hand-washing station was set up for customers to use before entering the market.
Everyone was required to wear masks, and volunteers and organizers ensured all customers maintained at least six feet of distance between one another.
Volunteers and organizers also told customers to not put anything on the vendors’ tables. To limit contact with produce, only vendors were allowed to handle the food.
Alyssa Mielke, a frequent shopper at the market in past years, said the line moved quickly.
“I’m happy that it’s still going on,” said the 26-year-old. “There wasn’t a ton of people, so it moved really quick.”
She said the market is usually busy with people, but the market on Saturday was a little quieter. She also missed the food vendors, she said.
Still, she was grateful the market was back for another year.
Another shopper from Shelburne Falls said the market had a nice set-up.
“The process of slowing down to get the food was really relaxing,” said the 30-year-old. Unlike a grocery store, where the mission is to get the groceries and leave, the farmers market, even this year, “was more conducive to relationships.”
At the season’s first market, Topitzer said she saw a good amount of customers.
“I do see a lot of regulars and people who are not familiar to me,” she said, adding that the masks and social distancing measures have changed the experience for vendors and customers. “It’s one for the books.”
The farmers market will continue Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon next to the Greenfield Common.
Mary Byrne can be reached at mbyrne@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 263. Twitter: @MaryEByrne