Carnegie farmers market goes digital

Carnegie-area connoisseurs of fresh produce know to head to the East Main parking lot for a weekly fix. But this year, they won’t even have to leave their homes to buy locally.

Carnegie’s Virtual Farmers Market is always open and allows patrons to deal directly with suppliers, said borough administrator Deneen Underwood, a web designer who came up with the concept.

This is the third year for the market, which Underwood said has grown every season. The market was in operation from noon to 3 p.m. Sundays in June through September, but many farms didn’t have produce so early in the season. This year, the plan is to open July 12 and continue through the end of October, depending on any regulations that are still in place.

When the physical market is up and running, the virtual market will allow customers to place orders online.

”We thought that even when we start the regular market, there might be some people hesitant. We imagine that there will still be social distancing,” said Underwood. “So we thought if we kept it up, it will give people an opportunity to place an order and come pick it up. Others can browse for as long as they like.”

So far, 17 vendors are listed on the virtual market, with others planning to join when they have more products to sell. In addition to farms, vendors include those selling prepared foods, baked goods, jewelry, wine and more.

An expansion of the market to include cooking demonstrations, art and music was planned. But with uncertainty as to when social distancing guidelines will ease, Underwood said those elements will be introduced next year.

The virtual market does allow shoppers to share recipes, artwork, music and cooking demonstrations.

The goal, said Underwood, is to get other communities to set up similar virtual markets.

“Many of our vendors participate in many markets, so maybe this will help keep their businesses open,” she said.

Click here to visit the virtual market.