December 20, 2024

Different look: Farmers markets open for business

By Ashley Langreck

Visitors stroll among the vendors at the 2020 Bargersville Farmers Market. Although the market looks different this year because of all the necessary regulations needed to help slow the spread of COVID-19, it is open and welcoming guests to come check out all the local products available.

BARGERSVILLE, Ind. — Although it looks different than before, the Bargersville Farmers Market is open for the 2020 season, offering the opportunity for consumers to purchase locally grown and made products.

The market, which is open from 5 to 7:30 p.m. every Wednesday outside of the Bargersville Town Hall, will run through July 29.

To help ensure public safety and social distancing, the market has created signage marking which way visitors should enter, exit and walk through the market.

David Sims of Heirloom Acres, along with his wife, Emily, and 9-year-old daughter, Samantha, use organic practices to grow and raise fresh, local produce that is full of nutrients.

Sims said to help ensure the safety of the farm’s produce, gloves are mandatory whenever working with the vegetables, including picking, handling and packing them.

Sims said that he also pre-packages his products before transporting them to and from markets.

“Up until this year, we had done nothing but wholesale,” Sims said, adding that when the pandemic hit and some restaurants closed or changed their menus dues to restrictions and regulations put into place to help slow the spread of COVID-19, Heirloom Acres decided to sell at farmers markets and online to help make up the lost income.

Sims said that with the use of high-tunnels and growing beds on their operation, they can turn over the beds three to five times during a growing season and have plenty of fresh produce for the markets.