City of Bloomington sent this bulletin at 08/06/2020 12:00 PM CDT
It's National Farmers Market Week!
We are excited to be able to offer you access to a farmers market in Bloomington with physical distancing and other safety measures in place to help keep healthy, seasonal food on your table. Here is some information provided by the Farmers Market Coalition about the role of markets during the current pandemic:
Farmers markets are essential businesses. The COVID-19 pandemic has made it clear that local food systems with short supply chains are resilient and dependable in making food available to their communities. Products from your farmers market go through just a few hands—the farmers and yours—before reaching your plate.
When the pandemic hit, markets had to scramble to accommodate the changing requirements to keep customers safe. Market operators have been among the first to implement innovative strategies to change their operations around public health protocols.
Emerging research supports the idea that outdoor marketplaces like farmers markets are often safer than alternative indoor retailers. This is due to unlimited air circulation, sunlight, the flexibility to enforce physical distancing by spreading out vendors and products, and the innovative strategies market operators have implemented.
This National Farmers Market Week, and every week, you can support your local market by shopping frequently and following the safety guidelines during your visit.
A great way to support your local market is to help get the word out! When you post pictures of your market purchases on social media, you're helping promote the goods and services the market provides to your community. We also love a great market selfie!
@blm.mn.market, #blmmnmarket, or use Bloomington MN Farmers Market as your location when sharing photos.
This list is subject to change based on weather and product availability.
Pre-order and save time
Many of our vendors are accepting online orders for pickup or delivery so you can reduce your time spent in the market.
Go to our online Vendor Directory and click on a vendor's name to be directed to their website. If a vendor does not have a website but is accepting pre-orders, you will see their contact information.
Rules and guidelines
We are committed to providing a safe environment for our vendors, staff, and community. We have implemented changes to our market set up and operations in response to the current public health crisis, and we are additionally asking customers to help us meet our safety goals by following these guidelines during their visit.
Master Gardeners
Need some late-summer gardening advice? The Master Gardeners may not be at the market, but they're still happy to help!