Amidst pandemic, local farms open with bumper crop of precautions

Indulging in freshly picked produce from the farm stand is a summer rite of passage. But as with many seasonal traditions during the pandemic, new rules have taken root to keep this summer ritual safe.

Hand sanitizer, masks, and social distancing are now standard at local farms, and some farmers are reaching beyond the basics and doing what they do best: putting their personal spin on both service and safety.

In addition to Plexiglas barriers and hand-washing stations, Goebbert’s Pumpkin Patch and Apple Orchard in Pingree Grove now offers curbside service and delivery to Huntley residents.

“We are delivering fresh vegetables to Del Webb daily,” said Jacob Goebbert. “We want to provide the people at the highest risk an opportunity to get the produce they love. We can come with a pickup truck and bring extra for neighbors.”

Tom’s Farm Market in Huntley offers special hours for seniors and the immunocompromised from 8:30 to 9 a.m., as well as curbside pickup and stringent safeguards across the farm.

Liz Halat described the farm’s rigorous process, which includes sanitizing the counters and charge card machines after each customer and prepackaging popular bakery items as an extra precaution.

“It does take a little longer,” said Halat. “We are hoping people are patient and they have been really, really good about it.”

Keeping distance is key at the Huntley Farmers Market, too, where booths are widely spaced and vendors must put an arm’s length between customers and products.

Village of Huntley Special Events Manager, Barb Read, described the new reality.

“Vendors have to have an empty table in front of their booths and move their product back so that it can’t just be grabbed.”

Masks are required at the market as well.

“Sew Hop’d Brewery was nice enough to donate thousands of cloth masks,” said Read. “Most people take one. Everybody’s watching out for their neighbors.”

Many vendors, like Wayne’s Local Honey, offer curbside pickup and delivery.

”If someone calls up and says, ‘Hey, can you drop off one pound of honey because I can’t come to the market?’ Wayne will be at their house the next day,” said Read. “That’s what you get when you have local farmers. That’s everything to them.”

Fall festivals are facing changes, too.

Goebbert’s is installing partitions between the cars on its popular train ride.

“We’re going to mandate a squirt of hand sanitizer before entering,” said Goebbert, who encourages weekday visits to avoid the crowds.

At Tom’s, the new Sunflower Maze and the Sip N’ Sunflower adult-only event will require tickets to limit large gatherings.

Keeping families safe and customers happy is the common theme.

“Farmers take pride in providing a great product, especially local farmers,” said Goebbert. “It’s something that they’ve grown and worked with and nurtured. It’s a point of pride for a farmer to be able to sell his product to the public.”

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