CALEB NICKERSON

CLARENDON May 23, 2020 

The Pontiac Farmers’ Market is up and running for the season, but in a new location due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Coordinator Ron Hodgins said that the market wasn’t able to rent out the hall on the fairgrounds where they are usually situated, and had to resort to their “plan b”, which is Hodgins’ own R&R Farms off of Hwy. 148 in Clarendon. He said that despite the change in venue, the market has been a success so far this season. Customers have appreciated the perks of the new environs, from seeing cattle grazing to hearing peacocks screeching. 

“We’re trying something new,” he said. “Everybody seems to like the farm atmosphere.”

In addition to the vendors being more spread out, Hodgins said that opening up his farm allows him to display his full inventory of plants, not just the ones he can transport to market. 

“Normally I would have just what I could put in the truck, this way they see everything,” he said.  “It’s been crazy, best year I’ve ever had.” 

Now in their second week, Hodgins estimated that they had half a dozen vendors turn up, including newcomers from the Little Red Wagon Winery. 

He added that customers have been good at obeying the physical distancing rules put in place by the provincial government. 

“People are keeping their distance,” he said. “If there were a bunch of people [in the greenhouse], people waited. Everyone’s used to doing that.”