In order to support English-Language Learning (ELL) Farmers Market Vendors, the Jefferson County Horticulture Agent partnered with the University of Kentucky Center for Crop Diversity (CCD) and CommonEarth Gardens to adapt the COVID-19 Farmers Market training from CCD to make it accessible for the ELL Farmers.

The CCD took the lead in developing several webinars about changes to farmers markets during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Hort Agent and members of CommonEarth Gardens attended these webinars to learn about the changes and then begin to formulate ideas on how they could assist the ELL Farmers participating in their Incubator Farm Program as well as help bridge the gap between the ELL Farmers and Farmers Market Managers about new market protocols.

The Hort agent attended several farmers markets in Louisville where the ELL Farmers planned to sell in order to speak with the market managers and take pictures of the changes in the market to share with the ELL Farmers. The Hort Agent and CommonEarth Gardens then developed a visual guide and check list for ELL Farmers Market Vendors. This check list was sent to CCD for review. 

After CCD approved the materials, the Hort Agent and CommonEarth set up one-on-one meetings with each ELL farmer to review the guidelines specific to their farmer's market(s) and to help the farmers determine if they wanted to sell at farmers market given the new requirements or seek other sales options. Six of the eleven ELL farm businesses opted to continue to sell at farmers markets. Each of the six ELL farm businesses attended a training and viewed photos of their market plus an example market stand. Within one week, all ELL farmers selling at markets scheduled a practice COVID-19 market stand set-up with either CommonEarth Gardens or the Hort Agent. All six ELL Farm Businesses that opted to continue to sell at Farmers Markets have been successfully selling since May 12, 2020.

Another challenge for the ELL farmers was the requirements from some markets to provide pre-order and pick-up services as well as cash-less payment options for customers. During these training sessions, the Hort Agent/CommonEarth Gardens worked with the individual farmer to review their specific market requirements such as pre-order and pick-up only or cash-less payment. ELL farmers were given the option to learn how to set up pre-ordering and/or cashless payment if they were interested. Five of the six ELL farm businesses selling at farmers markets adopted a form of cashless payment.

Developing a pre-ordering system for ELL farmers was the last challenge in setting up a farm business that was pandemic ready. Using additional resources from the CCD, the Hort Agent and CommonEarth Gardens created visual guides and talking points for farmers to help guide each farm business into developing a pre-order system that met their linguistic and technological skills.Two farms built websites using the Square Program; three farms developed a text-message based pre-ordering system and flyer to advertise and one farm set up a facebook business page to advertise and see produce. In each instance, the Hort Agent and/or CommonEarth gardens provided education and guidance for the business so that they learned how to build, edit and operate their specific pre-ordering system.

By June 1 of 2020, ten of the eleven farm businesses being supported by the Hort Agent and CommonEarth Gardens had develped farmers market stands that followed COVID-19 guidelines as well as a system for pre-ordering and/or cash-less payment options.