Hampton Farmer’s Market invites shoppers to celebrate Farmer’s Market Week

This year’s National Farmers Market week brings added meaning, as producers and customers alike are searching for normalcy amid an abnormal time.

National Farmers Market Week kicked off Monday as a celebration of producers who work year-round to grow, harvest and sell fruits, vegetables, herbs and handmade goods.

Marie Boyd, Healthy Harvest of North Iowa Executive Director, said that while Farmers Market Week is an annual celebration, the COVID-19 pandemic has shown just how vital farmers markets can be to a community.

“This year in particular, with everything going on, we wanted to recognize the essential nature of markets and the importance of open accessibility to locally grown, healthy food,” she said.

While the pandemic has put many celebrations and events on hold, the Hampton Farmer’s Market has been able to operate twice a week since spring. Vendors have practiced social distancing and are the only ones to touch their products until a customer has placed an order. Boyd said customers at the Hampton market have also done well minding social distancing at tables.

Those precautions have led to a scaled-down celebration of National Farmer’s Market Week, but Boyd said shoppers still have the opportunity to support and thank those who continue to bring fresh produce and goods to the market.

“Typically we’d have additional activities, games and music but we wanted to acknowledge people’s safety,” she said. “We won’t have those, but we still want to have a celebration of the farmer’s market and encourage people to continue to come out.”

Boyd said that the market has not only been a source of fresh goods for shoppers, but has also filled the void of entertainment left by the pandemic. She said she’s noticed shoppers taking an added interest in products from a health and safety standpoint, which has led to producers finding an additional niche.

“People are thinking about where food comes from and where they can access food,” Boyd said. “We’ve seen an uptick in individual and family purchases of local food.

“Some of our farmers that sell into restaurants and grocery stores have been struggling but have shifted their focus to direct-to-consumer sales,” she added.

Those interested in celebrating National Farmers Market Week can attend the Hampton Farmer’s Market from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. this Friday. The market will continue through October on Tuesdays and Fridays, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. as well.

For those who cannot attend the market, Boyd said opportunities still exist to support local producers.

“This is just about raising up our local farmers, so find a roadside stand that does farm sales, reach out and think about where your food comes from,” she said. “Think about spending $10 at a local farm and how big of an impact it’d be if we all did that.”