Downtown Farmers’ Market Adjusts to Pandemic Impacts

By Grace Bradley. This video is produced by and for the Centre County Report and is shared through a partnership with StateCollege.com.

The Downtown State College Farmers’ Market has been held seasonally on Locust Lane for more than 40 years. Vendors typically line the street selling their produce, baked goods, plants and more.

But this year, the coronavirus threat left many uncertain if the market would be coming back.

‘We couldn’t actually have the market in May,’ said Mike Byers, president of the farmers’ market. ‘We didn’t start til the first week of June this year, and we had very few vendors. We had like three or four vendors because there was concern.’

The market looks different this year with only 10 vendors, mask requirements and social distancing. Vendors have taken away samples and have new rules for customers.

‘We’re the only people that touch our produce until we give it to the customer,’ said Lucie Case, of Patchwork Farm and Greenhouse. ‘There’s lots of hand sanitizing and wiping down of all the surfaces, so it’s been a little bit of a change with that.’

Some vendors say despite the changes and COVID-19 concern, business is still moving along.

‘There’s still plenty of activity going on and people coming back and forth,’ said Janet Robinson, of The Piper’s Peck. ‘Since the students came back, there’s always more activity once the students come back. They’ve been good customers.’

‘It’s a lot slower than it used to be, but since the students have come back it’s picked up quite a lot,’ Case added. 

With Penn State students being back and fear of COVID exposure, the Downtown Farmers’ Market has seen a decrease in community members. They say their customers are about 90% students and only 10% community members.

Some vendors, like Patchwork Farm and Greenhouse sell products online for those who don’t feel comfortable going in person.

‘People can order online. Say I want three bags of lettuce. We will have the three bags of lettuce in a little big. They can call us when they’re here, open up their trunk and then we’ll just go place it in there and everything’s all set for everyone,’ Case said.

The Downtown State College Farmers’ Market takes place 11:30 a.m.-5 p.m. on Fridays through November.