Scotts Valley Farmers’ Market Opened June 6

County Order Requires Shoppers To Wear a Face Mask

By Nicole Zahm

The Scotts Valley Farmers’ Market opens its doors for the 2020 season on June 6. Every Saturday until Thanksgiving week a quality collection of regional farms and food businesses will throw up their tents to sell a colorful array of fresh fruits and vegetables, meats, eggs, seafood, artisanal bread and other staple foods.

In its 12th year, located at the Scotts Valley Community Center, the market connects residents directly with farms. It is an essential part of the regional food system as well as a resource for nutritious organic foods and basic agricultural education.

Another option is the Felton Farmers’ Market which opened June 2 in the downtown corridor off Highway 9, Felton, with redwood trees for a backdrop. The market will be open every Tuesday through October.

This year, in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, supporting local food growers is as important as ever. Shopping outside in wide aisles, with the benefit of sunlight and open-air, is also one of the safest ways to meet your weekly grocery needs.

Certified farmers’ markets are considered essential food outlets under the County of Santa Cruz Shelter-In-Place ORDER.

The Scotts Valley Farmers’ Market and the Felton Farmers’ Market follow state, county and public health requirements regarding COVID-19 and has implemented new systems and infrastructure to prioritize community health and safety. As a result we will not be hosting special events in 2020 and will pare down to our most fundamental function – providing healthy, wholesome food to residents.

While the market will look different our team of hard-working staff and outstanding vendors will still be bringing 100% of their energy, dedication and spiritedness to the market every week. We also continue to offer the Market Match program helping EBT (CalFresh) users stretch their dollars.

In June, the Farmers’ Markets will offer a Double Match Special to CalFresh/EBT users — providing TWO Market Match tokens for every EBT token up to $10. Ten dollars of EBT becomes $30 in June at the farmers’ markets. The matching tokens are only for fresh fruits and vegetables.

In past years EBT and Market Match transactions increased by nearly 100% with this incentive, suggesting that the program has a substantial impact.

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Please attend and adhere to the new market protocol — there will be robust signage and clear markings for customers to follow. We’re in this together and look forward to another season at the Scotts Valley Farmers’ Market.

• All vendors are required to wash hands frequently, wear masks and gloves and to have hand-washing stations.
• All sampling of fruits, vegetables and other foods is suspended.
• The music area, seating area and kids zone are suspended.
• Additional hand washing stations will be provided at each market.
• Market staff will be implementing visual guides and infrastructure for physical distancing and enforcing these regulations.

Customers…

• Please stay home if you aren’t feeling well.
• Wear a face covering/mask as required by the County of Santa Cruz.
• Avoid touching your face, nose and mouth (especially after handling money).
• Practice physical distancing of six feet from any other person in the market space.
• Wash your hands often and for a minimum of 20 seconds.
• Only touch what you purchase.

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Visit www.santacruzfarmersmarket.org for more information or contact Executive Director Nesh Dhillon at info@santacruzfarmersmarket.org.