By Mia Glass
RED BANK – “We sell all of our products at farmers markets, so without a farmers market we would have no venue to sell our produce,” said Lisa Bagwell of Kula Urban Farm.
Farmers markets not only provide a venue for farmers, but they bring vibrancy to the summer, with fresh, locally sourced produce and lively conversations between farmers and customers. Being so close to the source is what makes farmers markets such a unique experience. How does a farmers market succeed then, when customers have to be at least 6 feet away from the source?
At the Galleria Red Bank Farmers Market, which runs from May to November, customers were not permitted to walk through the market for the first five weeks. Patrons had to pre-order and pick up their items through a drive-thru system. In the 29 years that the market has been running, this was the first time customers could not walk up to the individual stands.
“When they started the market back in May, that was very difficult for the customers and for us,”
said John Hauser of Hauser Hill Farms.
Getting the market to be labeled as an essential business was not an easy task. During the first few weeks, market manager George Sourlis of Sourlis International Realty Corp. of The Galleria Red Bank, worked with the town to bring back the market in its usual form this summer.
“We had great cooperation from the Red Bank Police Department and Councilman Hazim (Yassin) who was extremely instrumental in getting us approved to become a walk-up market,” said Sourlis.
The market is still taking the proper precautions based on state guidelines, requiring farmers and shoppers to social distance and wear masks, as well as offering pre-ordering so customers can get in and out of the market quickly. But to comply with the social distancing guidelines, the market had to reduce its number of vendors by half, giving people more room to spread out.
“Farmers are one group that are permitted to come, then it expanded to a food group and that’s pretty much all we’re bringing in at this point,” explained Sourlis about how the market chose its merchants.
“We have not brought back any of our vendors that do crafts because we just don’t have room with our spreading out of the vendors,” he said.
Even with the challenges that come with operating during the pandemic, farmers and customers alike were ready to take part in the market and there is plenty of product available each week.
“Our farm and other farmers that I am friendly with did not hold back with what they grew this season,” said Bagwell.
Although customers are not allowed to touch the produce before purchase or sample foods, many seem to be simply happy to get out of their houses. This has kept the market busy and farmers selling.
“Specifically, right now with everything going on, we wanted to be outside in open air,” said Samantha Leen, a customer, at the market July 12. “We actually haven’t been in any stores.”
Despite the challenges, Sourlis reflected on how lucky his market has been in maintaining business and keeping a sense of community during these difficult times.
“We’ve had a lot of cooperation from the customers, everybody understanding what the climate of today’s normal is and trying to make the best of it. It’s been a group effort,” he said.
The article originally appeared in the July 16 – 22, 2020 print edition of The Two River Times.
