We would like to provide our customers and community with an update on the Taos Farmers Market changes put in place that provide a safer and healthier environment to shop during this time of heightened anxiety. We want you to know that we take the safety and health of our customers and vendors very seriously.
Our farmers are working hard every day to provide our community with the freshest food available in Taos. Our farmers market is safer than shopping in a conventional grocery store so please remember that fact and let it allow you to feel safe and confident while shopping. Farmers’ markets are formally deemed as an “essential business” by the state govt so they are not considered gatherings. Our farmers provide the freshest most nutrient rich foods with shortest distribution line (literally from the farmer’s hands to you!). Again we operate completely outside and with our strong mountain sunshine we are so blessed to live in such a safe and healthy environment.
Here is a list of modifications to our market we have in place:
- To protect others, stay home if you are sick. Vendors may not come to market if ill.
- Everyone must wear a face mask while at market.
- We will have 4 hand-washing stations located around the Plaza for public and vendor use.
- There will be no sampling during this time.
- No customer handling of products. Customers should not touch anything on the Vendor’s table, the Vendor will be the only person touching your food until you bring it home and wash it as you should always do with fresh produce.
- No reusable produce bags for the vendor to fill at this time, but personal shopping bags are encouraged.
- Do not place your personal shopping bags on vendors tables.
- All vendors must have hand sanitizer for their personal use, the market has provided every vendor a bottle of locally crafted hand sanitizer for this very purpose.
- The prepared food vendors will sell to-go items only.
- All Vendor Booths are spaced out 8 to 10 feet apart for ample room for vendors and shoppers.
- Follow the chalk arrows on the ground to direct you around the market’s flow for customers
- Please notice and use the chalk lines on the ground in front of vendor booths for how to stand in line, 2 people allowed to wait in line at one time per vendor
- Since we will be counting people in and out of the market area we ask that you come to pick up your produce and leave, please do not hang out in the Plaza, at this point we need to operate solely as a place to buy food. There will likely be a line at all times of people waiting to get into market to shop so please be quick so everyone has a chance to shop.
- We will be sanitizing EBT/DUFB tokens each week between market days & we have safety procedures in place for the EBT terminal during market
- NM Governor says as of 5/16/20:
“Masks will be required of everyone in public places, with exceptions for eating, drinking and exercising and medical requirements.” (see: https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2020/05/13/state-to-further-modify-public-health-emergency-order/)
We serve the farmers who rely on direct market sales for their livelihood, providing the community with the freshest, healthiest food available, while considering the safety and health of everyone involved. The short supply chain of local food is now more important now than ever and we will continue to strive to bring those products in the safest and most effective way possible. We have also added an extra half hour to market for the whole season, our new hours for 2020 are 8am-1pm.
Food from Farmers Market is the shortest supply chain available in Taos (aside from your own garden)!
