Dear Market Patrons,
We know that this has been a very trying time for everyone. The status of farmers markets in Maryland was defined by Governor Hogan on Monday, March 16th.
Governor Hogan’s office reiterated that farm markets are still considered in the same category as supermarkets and therefore can stay open. This could change at any time, but as of March 19th, this is the status in Maryland.
In Virginia there has been no declaration and some farmers markets have been shut down completely. The Virginia Farm Market Association is working hard to get farm markets classified as grocery too, so that all markets can continue to operate.
We have updated information about the Bethesda and NOVA markets below this section. The following information pertains to
both markets:
ALL MARKETS
Until further notice, sampling will be suspended, produce will be pre-bagged as much as possible, and no tables or chairs will be put out to reduce the amount of shared surfaces. We are not holding any social events at the markets during this time. That means we will not have any music, chef demos or kids clubs.
Again, we are asking that our vendors and our patrons do the following:
- If you are in an especially vulnerable population (underlying health conditions, immune-suppressed, or pregnant), please respect the recommendations of the public health authorities and consider staying home
- If you are sick or not feeling well, stay home! Ask a neighbor or friend to shop for you.
- Please consider only having 1 member of the family come to the market to do the shopping and please just shop and leave as quickly as possible AND PLEASE LEAVE YOUR DOGS AT HOME!
- Consider shopping for a neighbor especially those that cannot leave their homes.
- Refrain from shaking hands, hugging, or other physical contact with other; bring gloves if you have them. Even winter gloves work which can be washed in hot water when you get home.
- Be mindful of keeping a distance from people while you are in line
- Wash your hands often and well with soap and water – for at least 20 seconds and be sure to clean fingernails and cuticles, between fingers, and wrists
- Avoid touching your face
- When soap and water is not immediately available, use the hand sanitizer stations AT THE MARKET INFO TENT or your own alcohol-based sanitizers
- If you touch a product, please buy it!
- If you bring your own bag, please put your items into the bag yourself
- Please use a credit card, Apple Pay or Venmo to pay instead of using cash
- To assist our patrons we have listed, for each market, those vendors who will be offering pre-ordering services. (click on the links below for each market)
- If you are uncomfortable entering the market and have pre-ordered items, we will have staff at each market to run the bagged items to your car. We will locate the INFO TENTS so that you can drive up to it. Please have a written list of the vendor(s) to hand to the staff member, who will go get your groceries and bring them to the car. This is our first time offering this service so please be patient with us!
- Please remember we are all in this together. Please treat our vendors and each others with kindness
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION & PATRONAGE
~CENTRAL FARM MARKETS~
We are closely monitoring all situations and will keep you apprised of any changes. We thank you for all of your emails and support. We want everyone to stay well and safe.
Thank you,
Mitch Berliner, Debra Moser and Lynn Kriesten
This is the status of our farm markets now:
BETHESDA CENTRAL- GREAT NEWS!
Bethesda Central Farm Market is
OPEN on Sunday, March 22nd at its
normal location on the Bethesda Elementary School lot.
- We want to extend a heartfelt thank-you to District 1 Council-member Andrew Friedson and the Montgomery County Public School System who understood the importance of the market continuing and for making it possible for the Bethesda Central Farm Market to continue on the Bethesda Elementary School lot.
- Click here for a list of vendors who are planning on coming this Sunday.
- Click here for a list of vendors who are taking pre-orders
NOVA CENTRAL
Despite our best efforts to try to convince Fairfax County Public Schools to let us remain on the lot at the George C. Marshall High School parking lot, they denied our request.
After our open call to the community last week regarding the closure of the NOVA market due to Fairfax County Public Schools being closed, we have some good news! Our call for help last week to the community resulted in
Reverend John Strand from the Church of the Holy Comforter in Vienna, VA, offering their parking lot so that we could continue our NOVA market, which is located about four miles west of our current location. We want to thank
Reverend Strand for this amazingly generous offer which will help our farmers and vendors to keep their businesses going and to bring fresh food to our patrons!
Starting this Sunday
, until Fairfax County Schools reopen, the NOVA Central Farm Market market will be held at:
The Church of the Holy Comforter
543 Beulah Road
Vienna, VA 22180
The market hours will continue to be 9 am-1:00 pm for the rest of March.
- Click here for a list of vendors who are planning on coming this Sunday.
- Click here for a list of vendors who are taking pre-orders
