Bluffton opens drive-thru farmers market during coronavirus to ‘reinvent how we do it’
A Bluffton coffee roasting company has put a new twist on an old tradition during the coronavirus pandemic: the drive-thru farmers market has been born.
From 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Wednesdays and Saturdays, the Grind Roasters located in Sheridan Park has organized a drive-thru line where shoppers can purchase meat, fresh fruits and vegetables, prepared food and hand-sewn accessories from the safety of their car.
The market started April 8 and will repeat through at least the end of April, organizers Ian Duncan and Nikki Graziani told The Island Packet Saturday.
As times and habits change, Duncan said he started looking for ways to adapt the Bluffton Farmers Market, which closed in-person operations last month. While other markets are emphasizing pre-ordering from vendors, he said the idea for the drive-thru came from a market in Las Vegas that did the same.
“Let’s just reinvent how we do it then,” he said. “Now is the time for all of us small businesses to band together and look for ways to keep our employees employed.”
In Sheridan Park, many businesses have temporarily closed, leaving many extra parking spaces.
Now, the parking lot is full with market goers two days a week.
“It’s just a way to keep some sense of normalcy,” he said. “This just allows people to get out of their houses and support the local businesses.”
Marissa Paykos, owner of Whippoorwill Farms in a Jasper County, set up her booth at the market on Wednesday. She said the market is an example of adapting to uncertain times.
“As a community we kind of have to get out of our comfort zone and shop in different ways, whether that’s going to the market, going to the drive-thru market, pre-ordering from a vendor or ordering takeout,” she said. “We’re all doing things we haven’t done before.”
What to expect at the drive-thru market
Duncan said cars can enter the market at the intersection of Sheridan Park Circle and Pennington Drive behind the Bluffton Sonic restaurant.
There, they’ll be motioned along the road with vendor tents on either side.
Shoppers can roll down their windows to talk prices or as questions of vendors — many of whom wear facemasks and gloves.
Each vendor takes payment differently, but Duncan said he encourages paying electronically, via PayPal or Venmo, instead of handling cash. Most vendors take credit and debit cards as well.
Shoppers will exit the market at the intersection of Sheridan Park Circle and Sherington Drive, or in front of the Sonic restaurant.
How to clean your food
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced in March it was not aware of any reports of illness transmitted by food or food packaging. But whether you get your food from local vendors, farmers markets, grocery stores or your own garden, it’s important to keep it clean.
Here is LA Times cooking editor Genevieve Ko’s guide to cleaning fruits and vegetables at home:
Lettuces and other leafy greens: Fill a large bowl with water and immerse the greens in it. Swish the greens around to loosen any grit, let stand for a minute so the grit can drop to the bottom of the bowl, then lift the greens out into a colander. Run the greens in the colander under cold water very thoroughly, using a sprayer if you have one.
Root vegetables: Scrub them under running water with your fingers or a vegetable brush to remove any dirt.
Mushrooms: Some chefs suggest never allowing mushrooms to get wet because they absorb water like a sponge, which makes them steam instead of sear in a hot pan. I still wash them, quickly swishing them in a colander under the hardest blast of water I can get from my sprayer.
If any clumps of dirt remain, I pluck them off while rinsing. Immediately after rinsing, spread in a single layer on a clean kitchen towel or paper towels to dry.
Sturdy vegetables and fruits: For items such as green beans, asparagus, cucumbers and grapes, rinse well under a high-pressure stream of water while rubbing with your hands. Let dry in a clean colander if needed.
Delicate vegetables and fruits: For soft stuff such as tomatoes, ripe stone fruit and berries, rinse under a steady but low-pressure stream of water, turning the items gently with your hands to ensure all sides are rinsed but not bruised. Spread on a clean kitchen towel or paper towels to dry so they don’t get crushed.
Source: How to wash fruits and vegetables during the coronavirus crisis
This story was originally published April 11, 2020 at 4:26 PM.
