Photos: Saucon Valley Farmers’ Market Opens for 15th Season

It was far from a typical opening day, but the start of the Saucon Valley Farmers’ Market’s 15th season in Hellertown Sunday was a success, chairperson Angela Reese said.

The market had to make significant modifications to its layout, update vendor protocols and introduce things like social distancing guidelines for customers as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, but Reese and other volunteers who run the weekly event said everyone was adapting well to the changes and turnout was robust.

Customers were conscientious about maintaining a one-way flow of pedestrian traffic around the market, which features a few less vendors than in past years so there is adequate space for social distancing. It is still one of the larger weekly seasonal farmers markets in the area, with nearly 20 vendors on hand for opening day.

Other changes to this year’s market included the addition of hand sanitizer stations and a requirement that all vendors and customers wear face masks or face coverings, in accordance with a state health department mandate for retailers operating during the pandemic. Customers are not permitted inside vendor booths or allowed to handle food items prior to purchase to maintain sanitation, so orders are now placed from several feet outside the booths. Red lines on the grass served as visual reminders to stand back while contemplating what to purchase, and customers who waited in line stood six feet apart; something that has become the norm in most retail environments over the past month.

Aside from that, visitors to the market were met with a familiar array of delicous prepared food, baked goods, locally-grown produce, meat, eggs, cheese, soap, lemonade, smoothies, mead, coffee and other staple goods. For a full list of vendors as well as opportunities to pre-order purchases, visit the Saucon Valley Farmers’ Market website.

The market is open Sundays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and is held on the field next to the Hellertown Area Library, which is located at 409 Constitution Ave., Hellertown.

The first hour of the weekly market is now reserved for shopping by seniors and individuals who may be at high risk should they develop COVID-19.

Dogs are no longer permitted at the market, and there is now a single entrance just to the north of the library building along Constitution Avenue. One exit funnels visitors out behind the building toward Rohn Road.

The market will be open every Sunday through late November, weather permitting, with some vendors present weekly and others scheduled to be there on a regular rotation.

Follow the Saucon Valley Farmers’ Market on Facebook and Instagram for news and regular updates from this year’s vendors.

Saucon Source is proud to help support this year’s market and we encourage the community we serve to do the same.

Photos by Chris Christian