As the weather gets warmer, East Boulder County residents typically can be found at a farmers market stocking up on fresh fruits and vegetables., This year, the coronavirus pandemic has put a hitch in markets’ ability to welcome shoppers but it hasn’t shut down their seasons.
Kelly Miller, market manager at Real Farmers Markets [who manages the Erie and Louisville farmers markets, as well as one in the Highlands in Denver, is working on an online platform for shoppers.
“My whole business model success is having as many quality and diverse vendors as possible with as much attendance,” Miller said. “This is a 180 from my business model.”
She said her mission has been, and will continue to be, supporting Colorado farms and businesses and keeping communities fed with fresh, local food.
“I’ve got a big learning curve,” Miller said. “My goal is to have this established in two weeks, which is one week before I open. It will be an online farmers market. People will see either Louisville or Erie, each vendor will have it’s own room like a store.”
She likened the platform to an online grocery store that will allow people to find local vendors and purchase items for delivery or drive-thru pickup.
“I imagine it’s going to be a little limited to begin with so I can iron out the wrinkles,” Miller said of delivery. Her goal is to be able to make deliveries to anywhere in Boulder County.
The markets in Erie and Louisville will officially open later this month.
The Erie market will be open May 21 and operate from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursdays; the Louisville market will open May 23 and will operate from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays. Both markets’ seasons will run through Sept. 10.
“We will maintain the distancing at the markets,” Miller said. “We will have only the allowable amount of people in at a time. We will have sanitation stations and I’m encouraging touch-free exchange of money.”
The markets also will have only one entrance and exit to create a one-way flow.
“I’m really encouraging vendors to have their stuff ready to go,” Miller said. “Farms will have some things prepackaged.”
“If they’re not comfortable coming to the venue, they can drive by and pick up or have it delivered. I just feel like I want to serve everybody, as well as supporting the farms and the local businesses,” she said.
The opening date for the farmers market In Lafayette is still unknown, but host Boulder County Farmers Market also is making online ordering available through its BCFM2Go platform. Right now, orders must be placed by 7 p.m. Wednesday, but longer periods will be offered as the service grows, according to the Boulder County Farmers Market site. Pickup is offered at the Boulder County Fairgrounds in Longmont.
“We are still working diligently with our local officials to open markets backup — abridged version, of course. We have a goal of opening up Boulder and Longmont by the end of May. We do not have a clear open date for the Denver, Boulder Wednesday or Lafayette markets,” according to the website.
Learn more
For more information on Erie and Louisville farmers markets, visit realfarmersmarketco.com.
For more information on the Boulder County Farmers Markets, visit bcfm.org.
"later" - Google News
May 02, 2020 at 11:04PM
https://ift.tt/2Wosbfa
Erie, Louisville farmers markets to go virtual before opening later this month - Colorado Daily
"later" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2KR2wq4
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Erie, Louisville farmers markets to go virtual before opening later this month - Colorado Daily"
Post a Comment