OSWEGO COUNTY – The farmers market, a summertime staple in the cities of Fulton and Oswego, has returned to provide local farmers and vendors an opportunity to sell fresh produce and other wares.
The traditional farmers markets of over 40 years normally begin earlier in late spring, but this year consumers of the fresh food markets had to wait a bit due to the pandemic.
Overseen by the Greater Oswego-Fulton Chamber of Commerce, the farmers market began its season differently than normal and has seen some changes to provide for social distance. This year, it began its first of two phases the first week of June.
“We were able to introduce a two phase opening to our farmers markets, which has proven to be efficient and safe for our customers and our vendors and our farms in our community,” said Sara Broadwell, GOFCC member engagement coordinator.
To open Phase one, the chamber collaborated with the Oswego Health, the Richard S. Shineman Foundation, and the YMCAs in Fulton and Oswego to serve as an initial location and an opportunity to practice safer social distancing measures in a smaller location.
“We were able to use [the YMCA] staff to put in place all of the rules and regulations to help with social distancing, to help with crowd control, to help ensure that customers and vendors were wearing their masks, and it was very successful,” Broadwell said.
GOFCC posted online which vendors would be selling at the market and what could be found, pre-ordered and picked up.
“Since the beginning of COVID-19 and the start of the pandemic, farmers markets were always deemed essential businesses,” said GOFCC Executive Director Katie Toomey. “We did find it to be very successful, and from a logistics and operational perspective, it gave myself and my colleague, Sara Broadwell, an understanding of how people would treat the new rules and regulations when it comes to wearing face masks, pointing at produce rather than [feeling] what they’re buying and social distancing practices.”
Beginning this month, the market moved to Phase two, returning to a more traditional experience and has switched its locations to larger areas. However, the usual social family event with entertainment in the Oswego farmers market is not present for this season.
The markets are instead encouraging shoppers to buy their produce and leave. The layout also avoids having vendors placed in front of Oswego’s restaurants as to not take away from their business.
Toomey said so far the second and final phase for the season has gone smoothly and everyone has been following the new rules and safety protocols to help stop the spread of COVID-19.
“Everyone followed the rules; everyone was happy to be at the market and they were very grateful that we moved forward and we gave our vendors and our farmers an opportunity and a place to sell their produce,” Toomey said.
Bill Ingersoll and his family have been growing produce at Ingersoll Farms in Volney, just outside Fulton, for several years and have been vendors at both locations of the Oswego-Fulton farmers market for about nine years now.
Ingersoll said he actually has not seen a decline in produce sales at his farm stands during the pandemic and has instead seen an increase in sales. His farm sells sweet corn, tomatoes, cucumbers, various types of squash and sweet hot peppers.
“It seems like people want to buy more locally,” Ingersoll said. “People come right to the farm and they’re able to pick it right out of the tree.”
He said he is supportive of the extra measures taken this year at the farmers market because it will provide for more safety from the virus.
“I feel that they’re much needed to keep everybody safe,” Ingersoll said. “It’s probably going to be the way of the future.”
Broadwell said for some vendors the farmers market get them through an entire year financially so it was important to GOFCC to give them that platform to continue their business.
The Oswego Farmers Market is held each Thursday from 4:15 to 7:45 p.m. on West First Street and the Fulton Farmers Market is each Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon in the Canalview Parking Lot. Social distancing, wearing personal protective equipment such as a face covering and hand sanitation is required for both the vendors and the patrons.
“As the markets progress, we’re expecting to get more vendors,” Toomey said. “We may not have as many, but most of the traditional staple vendors are going to be there… It’s a different year for everybody; we’re in the midst of a pandemic and we’re trying to make the best of it and provide an opportunity for our local farmers to sell their produce.”
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