Audio: Kenneth Georgia, director of the Attala County Farmers Market, spoke to our own Breck Riley Monday morning to tell us how the market will operate under new guidelines during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
With the outbreak and spread of COVID-19, so much has changed about our world. Thankfully, what has not wavered is our commitment to provide our community with safe, affordable, locally grown produce. With your cooperation, we will comply with ALL Mississippi Department of Agriculture Considerations for Farmers Market Operations. In doing so, we have restructured how we provide service to you. As you plan to visit, please read carefully and consider all of the following guidelines.
- To comply with “social distancing” your market will provide Curb Side Service only. This will only work with your participation. We ask all patrons to access the market by turning onto Fairgrounds Road, circle behind the Career Tech, and travel along the front of the Attala County Coliseum. This will allow for easy curbside service to vendors who will be stationed along the driver’s side of the road. Customers should pull up, read posted signage of available produce, and verbally place their orders. Customers can then travel to the next station as needed and then exit the market at the traffic light. Customers entering incorrectly will not be serviced.
- To expedite transaction, we not only encourage pre ordering via text, call, or Facebook, but we ask that customers bring exact change if possible. Food voucher checks can also be signed by authorized users prior to visiting the market.
- Here are a list of additional precautions we are taking to ensure the safety of you the customer and the vendors:
- All produce items will be prepackaged in bags to minimize cross contamination.
- Until guidelines from health agencies change/relax, we are banning all baked items, samples, and tamales.
- Vendors will wear gloves, masks, and sanitize hands between transactions.
- Display tables will be sanitized before and after markets.
Your Attala County Market will open Friday May 15. Our operation hours will be Fridays and Saturdays from 8a.m. to Noon. We plant to have available for you: squash, zucchini, turnip and mustard, greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, green beans, peppers, and other early items. Soon peas, okra, butterbeans, corn, cantaloupe, and watermelon will be available.
At Attala County Farmers Market, your health and safety are important to us. If you are not well, please stay home. For those who plan to visit, please bear in mind the above changes and we look forward to seeing you.
