Situation: Our current Farmers Market facility cannot meet the new standards imposed by the advent of COVID-19.We do not have the space for social distancing with vendors, customers, and parking.  We also do not have adequate hand washing facilities.  

Collaborators: Farmers Market vendors, extension ANR agent, Glen Roberts, ANR assistant,Terry Bertram, KSU Small Farm Program, Danny Adams, FCS assistant, Cassie Lester.

ANR agent Glen Roberts brainstormed with co-workers, Farmers Market vendors and community leaders about the situation.  Wayne County Extension District Board owns a former Do-It-Center lumberyard that is used primarily for storage by extension and community partners.  It had the potential to provide a good location for the Farmers Market but it would take a lot of cleaning up, moving things around and re-organizing the space.  The ANR agent and assistant worked diligently for two weeks to accomplish that goal.  The vendors are delighted with the results.  They have plenty of room to set up and social distance from each other and from the public customers.  There is more parking and more paved parking on level ground close to where the vendors set up.  The vendors have access to modern restrooms and hand washing facilities.  It is one block away from a main  street so it is much safer for participants to walk or to drive around and park.  It has a fence around it and is locked other than when the Farmers Market is there.  Tables and chairs are supplied.  Vendors can park behind their tables and only unload what they need to.  Their trucks are out of the sun.  Vendors are elated with the "emergency, last minute location change.  We have fewer vendors, but we are certain that is due to older vendors not feeling safe with COVID-19 still a threat.  We still have more customers than produce.  The ANR agent is going to conduct high tunnel construction and training  this fall in an effort to encourage more people to grow early produce.  We anticipate that the new location for the vendors to sell produce from and more farmers using protected agriculture to grow early produce that the economic benefit and service to the community will be greatly improved.