Weiser’s farmers market moving ahead with plans for season

Organizers of Weiser’s annual farmers market are moving forward with plans to hold the first market of the summer on Thursday, July 16, and will implement some COVID-19 precautions to keep customers and vendors safe.
 Members of the Weiser River Resource Council asked a dozen vendors at a meeting on June 25 if they wanted to hold the farmers market in light of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. They said they supported the event and committed to participating.
 Another eight vendors have expressed plans to sell at the farmers market but could not attend the organizational meeting. If 20 vendors show up, it will be the largest number ever for the first market of the season, organizers said.
 This will be the ninth year the nonprofit WRRC has organized the Weiser farmers market. The popular outdoor event is held in front of the historic train depot in downtown Weiser. The market will be held on Thursdays from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. starting on July 16 and will continue weekly through Sept. 10.
 Farmers market volunteer John Aegerter said organizers are putting together plans for safe distancing and other precautions, such as hand sanitizer at each booth, spacing out vendors and encouraging the wearing of facemasks.
 The pedestrian traffic flow at the farmers market will probably be routed to go in one direction around the circle in front of the depot, and customers will be encouraged to spread out. Vendors were receptive to the precautions, Aegerter said.
 “We’re going to make recommendations, and we’re going to help them if they need help,” he said of the precautions vendors will need to follow.
 City officials are OK with holding the farmers market. The market is outdoors and there is the opportunity to follow social distancing guidelines. The state of Idaho is currently in stage four of reopening, which allows all retail to open and also allows public gatherings.
 The space in front of the depot and the grassy area on the west side can accommodate a maximum of 27 vendors, plus a food truck and seating while eating. Vendor booth locations have changed slightly in an effort to move vendors on the east side of the depot out of the hot sun.
 Rental prices for vendor spaces will stay the same as last year. The cost is a reasonable $5 per week and the depot charges another $5 for electricity, if needed. Vendors who prepay for the entire season will be given first choice of locations and a $5 discount. The cost to vendors who choose to prepay will be $40 for the nine weeks.
 The farmers market will continue to accept SNAP benefits to purchase qualifying food items. A grant from the Idaho Farmers Market Association will allow the Weiser farmers market to participate in the Double Up Food Bucks program this summer. Customers with SNAP benefits cards will receive double tokens to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables.
 Those using SNAP cards at the market will see their purchasing power double. They can stop by the market manager’s booth and receive twice the value in tokens. For example, when a SNAP cardholder scans for $10 they will receive $20 in SNAP tokens. The tokens can be used at any produce or other allowable food vendor.
 Vendors at Weiser’s farmers market sell lots of homemade items, such as baked goodies, popsicles and shaved ice, jams and jellies, local honey, along with prepared food and crafts and other products, such as handcrafted soaps.
 The variety of veggies and fruit gets better each week during the summer and typically includes onions, tomatoes, sweet corn, squash, peppers, green beans and much more straight from the field to the market. There is also fresh fruit from local orchards, with growers bringing plums, nectarines, peaches and more.
 Anyone interested in becoming a vendor at the farmers market can contact Jim Felton at (208) 549-1050 or at jimfeltonwrrc@outlook.com.