OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – The Oshkosh Saturday Farmers Market is continuing to provide fresh products to the community, safely.
“It’s the difference between our farm staying alive and not,” said Tracy Vinz owner of Olden Organics Farm.
Vinz tells FOX 11 she sells her produce at the Oshkosh Farmers Market year-round.
“If we don’t have a place to sell our produce, it’s going to go bad and we’re going to go under.”
Vinz says a difference she sees at the indoor winter market this year, is fewer people,
“The lack of people is definitely hurting but we want to stay safe. But as a business owner it really sucks because nobody is here. But as a person individually, it’s a good thing.”
Oshkosh market manager, Michelle Schultz, tells FOX 11 the uptick in coronavirus cases is fluctuating the number of vendors too.
“Because of the rise in numbers we think, about 25 % of our vendors pulled out within the last 2 weeks. On average we are looking to have about 40 vendors a week here.”
Schultz says Oshkosh didn’t know if there would be indoor markets this year, but they saw the need to support local vendors.
“Farmers have more challenges than others. And if they don’t have a place to market their goods its very possible that they won’t have goods to sell us next year.”
“Mask, everyone has hand sanitizer all over its great,” an Oshkosh mother and daughter come to the market every Saturday to support the cause.
“Its important to keep them in business so they can keep doing what they do,” they said.
Schultz says the market still has the same specialty made items as pre-pandemic times,
But most vendors say the biggest difference in this years’ market is that there is no sampling, and you have to take your food outside.
For a full list of Oshkosh Winter Farmers Market coronavirus guidelines, click here.
