Regina Farmers’ Market looking forward to return outdoors

It’s only a matter of when the Regina Farmers’ Market will be able to sate people’s appetite for locally produced food, after changes to the province’s plan to ease pandemic restrictions.

The latest update, made last week, permits farmers’ markets to operate as of May 19, provided they take steps to minimize the spread of COVID-19.

Holly Laird is the executive director of the Regina non-profit and said farmers’ markets in Alberta and British Columbia have been deemed essential services and allowed to stay open.

She thought it was only fair Saskatchewan followed suit.

“First, (give) some consideration for the goods that we provide, which are essential grocery products and they’re all locally made and produced. It’s an incredibly important product to have out there and to be supported,” Laird said.

“We were just asking the Government of Saskatchewan to consider us in the same way, with the same recognition of what we’re doing.”

A date hasn’t been set for when the Regina market will open. But once that happens, Laird said organizers will follow similar physical distancing guidelines to those seen at grocery stores, including keeping vendor booths further apart, setting up hand sanitizing stations and making sure vendors have protective equipment.

They also could limit the number of customers shopping at one time.

In the meantime, the market has been kept busy with its online store, where orders are delivered or picked up at Douglas Park. It will still be available when the outdoor market opens.

“We’re just so grateful for all of our customers who are helping us to continue on and are supporting us even when we’re online. Our preference would of course be outside at this time of year in May,” Laird said.

Being outside provides visibility, and in-person interaction is also a key part of the customer experience.

“We miss being downtown. City Square Plaza is our home and that’s where we’re used to being and that’s where folks are used to finding us,” Laird said.

“And of course, one of the really great things about the farmers’ market is you can see the people who are producing your food and growing your food and you can see them face to face and have a discussion and talk about that.”