The 2020 season of the New Harvest Farmers Market will be open from 3-6 p.m. on Thursday, April 23, at New Harvest Park, 4775 New Harvest Lane.
To keep the community safe during the COVID-19 pandemic, Nourish Knoxville will adapt the ways it serves farmers market customers to ensure they receive the groceries they need. Nourish Knoxville says they are continuing to offer SNAP processing and SNAP doubling (Double Up Food Bucks) at New Harvest.
Though the market traditionally serves as a gathering space for shoppers to socialize in addition to purchasing groceries, the public is asked to prioritize grocery shopping and eliminate socializing. All special events and programming, including Nourish Kids Club (formerly POP Club) in-person activities, will be suspended until further notice and only food, farm and hygiene vendors will be present.
Early arrivals will be allowed, temporarily, to prevent long lines and overcrowding.
Additionally, if a vendor is sick or has been exposed to, or suspects exposure to COVID-19, they will not be allowed to attend the market. Customers will be made aware of the new Market guidelines – via website updates, social media posts and a direct email – and be asked to send only one person to shop, if possible, and to stay home if sick.
“This is an unprecedented time for us all,” said Ellie Moore, markets manager with Nourish Knoxville. “As we navigate the COVID-19 crisis, Nourish Knoxville feels strongly that the New Harvest Farmers Market serves as a vital food access point for our community and is essential in bolstering our local food system and ensuring the viability of small, local food businesses.
“We have reinforced relationships with key community partners and are confident the new safety measures we have put in place will help keep our community healthy, safe and well-fed.”
New safety measures include:
- Market signage and chalk marks in front of vendor booths will be posted to remind customers to practice social distancing – maintaining a space of six feet from each other.
- Market staff will temporarily redesign booth locations – increasing space between vendors to 10 feet – to limit contact while still allowing purchases.
- Market staff and vendors will wear masks and use disposable gloves and sanitize all common, high-touch surfaces frequently.
- Vendors are encouraged to designate specific staff to handle money and products, respectively, when possible. Vendors handling money should not touch food products until they have washed their hands according to CDC guidelines.
- Hand sanitizer stations will be made available throughout the market as well as a portable handwashing station.
- All product sampling will be suspended.
- No tablecloths will be used.
- Customers will only order verbally and vendors will bag their purchases.
- Customers are encouraged to pay using Venmo or other similar non-contact payment applications and to place pre-orders with individual vendors.
- Curbside delivery of pre-orders will be available by calling 865-805-8687, ext. 1 upon arrival.
A list of participating vendors by market date can be found here.
The New Harvest Farmers Market runs from 3-6 p.m. each Thursday through September. Info: Nourish Knoxville at markets@nourishknoxville.org or 865-805-8687, ext. 1.
Mike Donila is deputy director for Knox County Parks & Recreation.
Notes
Market Square Farmers Market: Opening day is delayed until Wednesday, May 13, and the dates, hours and layout/venue are subject to change. The schedule now is Wednesdays 11-2 and Saturdays 9-2.
Nourish Knoxville will host its final Winter Farmers Market 10-2 Saturday, April 18, in Historic 4th and Gill. Food trucks on site.
Second Harvest: Seeking donations to help with extra food needs during COVID-19 closures.
Mobile Meals: Great volunteers performing a great service. Volunteers deliver meals 10-1 as often as time permits. One- and two-hour routes are available, and there are recipients in every zip code in Knox County. Info, for a speaker or to volunteer: 865-524-2786.
Food City: Temporary hours: 7-8 a.m. for customers 65 and older as well as customers with underlying health conditions. Also, each Monday, pharmacy locations will be open at 7 a.m. to allow these customers to pick up their prescriptions with limited exposure.
East Tennessee FARM: The Historic Oak Ridge FARM Market open each Saturday 8-12 in Jackson Square. * Ebenezer United Methodist Church Market, Tuesdays 3-6. * Hardin Valley Church of Christ, Thursdays 3-6; opening May 7. Click here for maps and more.
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