CORRECTION: A previous version of this article incorrectly attributed a quote from Mary Ann Pagano to a different source. The article has been updated to reflect the proper attributions. The Daily Tar Heel apologizes for this error.
Instead of shutting down at the height of the pandemic, the Carrboro Farmers' Market has been able to stay open thanks to collaboration between the market and the community.
The Carrboro Farmers' Market board worked closely with the Orange County Health Department to establish new health and safety guidelines.
"We have really good guidance from the School of Public Health, from epidemiologists, and so we immediately, really so quickly, established a safe environment to shop in that was outside because we had to," Mary Ann Pagano, an operator of Three Waters Farm, said.
Farmers at the market are continually adapting to make it safe and easy for customers to shop at the market.
"We are taking all the precautions that we can," Kevin Meehan, co-owner of the Turtle Run Farm in Graham, said. "My main concern is that I want my customers to feel safe."
Some farmers have been working overtime to accommodate their customers. Many now do pre-sales and drop off deliveries that most did not do before.
"Everyone is working all day in the field and working all night on the computer interfacing with systems they had not interfaced with before," Pagano said.
"We do presales so that people can purchase in advance what they buy, like lamb or baked goods, and you can also preorder coffee so that your drink is ready when you get there," she said.
