social distancing - WKTV Journal

The Metro Health Farm Market is set to open on May 14. (WKTV)

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

Among the announcements of cancellations and/or delays in programming comes some good news: many area farmers markets such as the Metro Health Farm Market and the City of Kentwood Farmers Market will open as scheduled.

“We’re very excited,” said Metro Health Farm Market Manager Michelle Rademacher. The Metro Health Farm Market is scheduled to open May 14 and run until Oct. 8 at the Metro Health Village, 5900 Byron Center Ave. SW. The market is on Thursdays from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., rain or shine.

“There has been a lot of planning for this to take place so as to follow all of the stipulations for COVID-19,” Rademacher said.

Farmers markets have been deemed essential by the state but even with this classification comes limitations with only food vendors able to sell at the markets. Like many of the area farmers markets, the Metro Health Farm Market and the Kentwood Farmers Market will be following Center for Disease Control and Michigan Farmers Market Association COVID-19 guidelines.

Along with only essential items such as food being offered, vendors will be six feet apart and required to wear masks. Patrons will be encouraged to wear masks and to leave their personal shopping bags at home.

“There is going to be less out with vendors restocking,” Rademacher said. “Hopefully customers will say, ‘I would like three corn, one lettuce,’ and the vendor will pick and bag the items so as to reduce the amount of touching the items.”

“Everybody loves to pick up a tomato to see if it is the perfect one for their meal,” said Fulton Street Farmers Market Assistant Manager Dana Eardley. Being open year around, the Fulton Street Farmers Market, 1145 Fulton St. SE, was able to gradually institute procedures for social distancing and reduction in contact. This included a policy that only the the vendors are allowed to touch food and produce.

The Fulton Street Farmers Market had its official main (summer) season opening this past weekend, where the hours were increased to 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday through October. From November to April the market is only open for a few hours on Saturday.

Area farmers markets have been deemed essential by the state with vendors only able to offer food items such as diary, meat, and produce. (Free Domain)

Kentwood Farmers Market

To encourage vendors to follow the guidelines, the Kentwood Farmers Market is offering a Vendor Scholarship, which will cover 100 percent of the vendor fees. To qualify for the scholarship, a vendor who sells food products, needs to demonstrate a commitment to customer safety such as offering pre-packaged items or pick-up.

The Kentwood Farmers Market returns for its sixth season, June 4 and running through Aug. 27. The market will take place on Thursdays from 4:30 – 7:30 p.m. in front of Kentwood City Hall, 4900 Breton Ave. SE. For more information on the Kentwood Farmers Market or the Vendor Scholarship, visit the market’s website.

Get It and Go

The implementation of customer counts with the Fulton Street Farmers Market only being able to allow 66 customers in the market at onetime did prove to be a challenge. The market was required to close off all its side entrances and increase its volunteers to get the customer counts along with help at the handicap entrance, Eardley said.

“The market is a place that people come to stroll or have a family outing, letting the smells and produce call to them as to what they might want to add to their meals,” Eardley said. “We have had to really make a shift in having people get in and get their food and leave.”

Advance planning is encouraged with the Fulton Street Farmers Market instituting a “roll call” on its Facebook of vendors planning to be at the market so shoppers could plan.

The Metro Health Farm Market also will have traffic arrows to direct the market flow and some of its entrance points will be closed but there are no plans to track the number of people in the market.

“There is some fear that a farmers market can turn into a social gathering, “Rademacher said. “Hopefully people will follow social distancing guidelines and only send one person from a family to help with the crowd control.

Rademacher added staff will be keeping an eye on the first day to see if adjustments need to be made.

Making Their Dollars Count

Eardley remarked that attendance for opening weekend was lower than usually, but she did have good news for other farmers markets.

“Some of our vendors have told us that they have had record-breaking sales,” she said. “So while the volume was down, those who were coming are very serious about making their dollars count toward the local food farmers and not the big box stores.”

Rademacher concurred with Eardley, saying “I think people are acknowledging that farmers are small businesses and spending local wherever they can.”

What About Non-Food Items?

Most markets usually have a mix of food and non-food items. Fulton Street Farmers Market also has an artist market on Sundays starting in June. Because crafters and non-food vendors do not fall under the essential category, for now they will not be at the markets. Both Radamacher and Eardley said they remain hopeful that as guidelines change, non-essential vendors will be able to be added.

In making the video, Amy VanDorp said her first goal was to hug her mom and her second goal was to share the love of God. (Hub-Able video)

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

Kentwood resident Amy VanDorp made regular visits to her mom’s place, bringing her groceries, dropping off items and just spending time with her.

“I was going over there at least once to a couple of times a week,” VanDorp said.

That was until the COVID-19 pandemic hit in early spring and Michigan’s governor announced the Stay Home, Stay Safe order along with social distance guidelines of at least six feet or more between people, encouraging strict enforcement for those who are older and at higher risk of contracting the virus and becoming seriously ill.

So VanDorp’s visit to her mother changed to her and her family standing on the lawn of her mother’s Byron Center home at least six-feet from the porch where VanDorp’s mother stood. There was no contact, not even a hug.

“I realized I was becoming more frustrated because all I could do is look at her,” VanDorp said. “The more I saw her, the more I just wanted to hug her.”

As a social worker, VanDorp recognizes the power of human contact.

Kentwood resident Amy VanDorp talks about the Hug-Able as her husband, Jeff, puts it up in the background. (Hug-Able video)

“The power of the human touch releases endorphins,” VanDorp said. “It connects us. It decreases depression.”

After a recent visit with her mom, VanDorp recognized that her desire to have that contact — to at least hug her mom — was so strong, she decided to do something about it.

“I figured someone probably had created something,” VanDorp said, adding that she started thinking about science fiction films that always had a scientist using a glove box, a clear box where the scientist could put their hands in gloves to touch an unusual object or conduct an experiment. She also thought of a neonatal incubator for premie babies that has armholes so a parent is able to touch their child.

But a search through the internet led to VanDorp discovering nothing that would allow her to give her mom a hug. So she decided to make something herself and began to look around her home for items she could use. She spied a clear plastic drop cloth that could be used as a buffer and clear plastic bags that could be used as sleeves to put a person’s hands and arms in to give a hug.

Enter VanDorp’s husband, Jeff, an engineer, who armed with Duct tape, was able to take VanDorp’s idea of the Hug-Able and make it a reality.

“We took the plastic sheet and cut it to create armholes and then used the clear plastic bags and taped them to the armholes,” Jeff VanDorp said.

The family went over to the mother’s house, telling her they had a surprised but not to peek. In the family’s video, Jeff VanDorp tapes the Hug-Able to a door in the garage, creating a protective barrier between her and the family but through the plastic sleeves/garbage bags, they were able to hug.

Kentwood resident Amy VanDorp prepares to give her mom a hug. (Hug-Able video)

In the video, you can see how pleased VanDorp’s mother is to be able to hug her family members, saying things such as “This is awesome.” “This is beautiful.” “Can I keep this going all night?”

“She called me the next day and said she slept wonderful that night,” VanDorp said, adding that she does credit the power of being able to hug.

The family posted a video about their journey to create the Hug-Able as to give other people ideas of what they might be able to do to keep the human connection in these times of social distancing.

“My first goal in making the Hug-Able video was to hug my mom,” VanDorp said. “My second goal was to share the love of God with the people who watched the video.”

If you have questions about the Hug-Able, you can reach the VanDorps at hugable2020@gmai.com.