Farmers Markets across Tipperary are making a welcome return this week following the easing of Covid-19 restrictions.
They’ve been out of action for around 8 weeks as part of efforts to curtail the spread of the virus.
Among those back trading this weekend will be Cahir Farmers Market which is based at the Castle Street car-park each Saturday morning.
Pat O’Brien is one of those involved in the market:
“We have to pay a lot of attention to our customers and our safety and to social distancing, and hand hygiene, the whole lot. We’re organising signs. There’s a lot to be done.
“We’re out of it now for 8 weeks which is a lot of trading missed, which is a bit unfortunate. It’s had a big affect on the traders to miss that much time. Like every other business in the country, so we’re not alone.
“As long as we keep going and our customers are safe, that’s the main thing.”
However, Pat also says many of them have found other ways of selling their produce during the lockdown:
“In my own farm shop, I ran a drive-thru farm shop for people so I could deal with them without them getting out of the car and they could pay contact-less.
“Other people arranged deliveries so you could keep in touch with your customers. And there was a website that the people in Clonmel, NeighbourFood, set up.
“A lot of alternative arrangements were done to keep the customer attended to and to keep some of the products going out. So, it’s been a training session for a lot of people and things, you know?”
