Farmers Market 2020-06-13 012
Local News

Homewood adjusts restrictions to allow some children in the Farmers Market, vendors accepting orders for Saturday

Social distancing is maintained during the first Farmers Market of the season on Saturday, June 13. Initially, no one under 16 was allowed in the market because of capacity limits, but market officials have decided to allow infants and small children in strollers to attend. (Eric Crump/H-F Chronicle)

Homewood Farmers Market Manager Kate Duff announced Tuesday that the village will make a change to the restrictions made necessary by the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing some children into the market.

For the first farmers market, held Saturday, no one under 16 was allowed to enter. Duff said the purpose of that restriction was to account for the limited capacity of the market. No more than 30 people are allowed to shop at any given time. 

Social distancing is maintained during the first Farmers Market of the season on Saturday, June 13. Initially, no one under 16 was allowed in the market because of capacity limits, but market officials have decided to allow infants and small children in strollers to attend. (Eric Crump/H-F Chronicle)

“If a family of five enters the market and we hit that 30 people limit, that means four other households are prevented from doing their shopping at that time,” she said in a Facebook post. 

She also noted that the market’s rule against touching items on display might be difficult for young children to follow. 

“I don’t want situations in which parents are asked to pay for products they don’t want because their kids touched them or vendors are required to destroy products that were touched but not purchased,” she said.

After receiving questions about the policy from parents, Duff said she consulted with the public health department and village administration and got permission to make an adjustment. 

Beginning Saturday, infants in carriers and children in strollers will be allowed in the market and without being included in the capacity count. Children in strollers must be belted in, and children over 2 should wear face coverings, as specified in the state’s guidelines for limiting the spread of the disease. 

Duff also encouraged families to take advantage of the market’s new curbside pickup service. 

The curbside pickup option also increases the range of products available, because even vendors who are not present can offer goods that way.

All curbside orders must be pre-paid. Orders will be available at the market exit for customer pickup. 

In order not to block traffic on Chestnut Road, village officials require customers to park in the Village Hall lots nearby, including in the village hall parking lot at the corner of Chestnut Road and Harwood Avenue. Volunteers will deliver orders and load them into the trunk of patrons’ vehicles. 

The market is open 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. each Saturday until mid-autumn. The first hour is reserved for seniors and people with disabilities. 

To find links to vendors and review market restrictions, visit the market webpage.

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