Photo Credit: The produce photo is by Maple View Farm.

This Sunday, May 31, 2020, the Beacon Farmers Market will open on its usual outdoor summer spot on Veterans Place, in between the Post Office and Towne Crier and across the street from Beacon Natural. For the past several weeks, the Beacon Farmers Market has been doing pre-order and delivery only, which was a huge undertaking that involved two different website builds, and order fulfillment from several vendors.

The market will remain offering online pre-orders for those who are immune-compromised, at risk, or quarantined, as well as for any SNAP customers participating in the pre-order coupon program. SNAP customers who need to use it for pre-ordering online can learn how to do that here for SNAP which includes $30 worth of groceries. Otherwise, SNAP will be accepted in person at the market on Sunday.

Like the rest of the Phase 1 opening, this will be a slow reopen, and will not be the socialness as usual. Expressed on the market’s Instagram and website: “Please be mindful that our number one priority is human health. Our mission is to make local and responsibly harvested food available to you while helping the local food economy and supply survive. It is important to remember that New York is still on pause, and undergoing a slow, phased reopening. This is not the usual social gathering space as we know it.”

While farmers markets were deemed essential businesses and could remain open, the Beacon Farmers Market opted to go delivery and pickup only. “We are taking COVID 19 very seriously,” continued the reopening message on their Instagram. “We have re-designed the layout and protocol for the safety of our patrons, vendors, and staff for this upcoming season.”

How To Shop Properly At The Beacon Farmers Market COVID-19 Style

You’ll need a shopping spot that is a 30-minute opportunity to walk the market to get your things. Sign up for your shopping time-slot here. But, according to the Beacon Farmers Market, if your desired time slot is full, or if it’s full when you arrive, walk-ins will be accommodated. In other-words, everyone is figuring it out, and you can wait in a social distanced manner around the are of the market.

Read the shopping guidelines here on the shopping signup page, so as to be prepared of how you need to be when you go to market. Highlights include:

Wearing a mask to enter the market.
Limit of shoppers to 1 person per household.
Get in, get out. Shop safely and efficiently.
About shopping: The time you pick to shop is not an appointment. It’s an approximation, according the Beacon Farmers Market: “Time slot registrations are not appointment times. If the market is at capacity when you arrive, please wait patiently for entry.”