A virtual market
It’s not actually that hard to turn your Penticton Farmers’ Market stall into a virtual store, according to one of the newly digitized growers.
“All you have to do is take a photo of the vegetable or whatever it is, upload that and a little description and what it costs,” explained Rick Hatch, owner of Cherry Tree Permaculture on the West Bench.
“So, from our end, it’s pretty easy.”
Hatch, who specializes in microgreens this time of year, is among the market regulars who have put their wares on a dedicated website where people can place orders for pickup on Saturday mornings in the Penticton Community Centre parking lot.
On the Cherry Tree Permaculture portion of the website, customers can choose from 15 different items, ranging from walnut seedlings and cilantro to spinach and mixed greens.
The virtual market relaunched Wednesday at noon with 22 suppliers, and the customers soon followed.
“It’s amazing. It seemed like people were chomping at the bit to get in there,” Hatch said in a phone interview around 3 p.m.
The virtual market was launched earlier this month with the first pickup date last Saturday. However, the software, which is being used by 70 farmers’ markets across B.C. thanks to a grant from the provincial government, wasn’t quite up to snuff and only a few orders were actually filled.
Market manager Katherine Harris is confident the kinks have all been ironed out now, and customers can expect the list of offerings to grow.
“Some of our vendors are only there for tree fruit season, so there will be more vendors added as the season goes on,” she said.
Volunteers and vendors will gather early Saturday to assemble individual orders, which will then be loaded into customers’ vehicles to minimize contact. Payment will be made online in advance.
Harris noted the outdoor markets, which attract thousands of people to the 100 block of Main Street during the summer months, have only been cancelled through
May. Her board is working on plans to eventually reopen some form of outdoor market that respects provincial health regulations.
Hatch is just happy to be back in business right now.
“This is a new thing for everyone, so there’s bound to be some hiccups,” he said, “but we’re excited to get fresh food out to our local customers.”
The market’s order website is: localline.ca/penticton-farmersmarket.