The season of filling boxes of freshly harvested fruit is upon us, while harvesting farms in Massachusetts have opened their fields for non-public harvesting. But as the coronavirus pandemic continues to replace our routines, farms have had to adapt, and the fun of choosing their own strawberries, blueberries and wildflowers is very different this year.
To help farms navigate their harvesting activities at site COVID-19, the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) has issued rules ranging from social estrangement to product sample extraction. While the protocols of other farms would possibly vary, here are some regulations and regulations that you deserve to expect on your next product pickup trip.
Visitors to the farm are encouraged to stay six feet away from the rest when in the fields. It will likely locate symptoms around the assets that reinforce this recall, while some farms spend more and require reservations (the MDAR states that “farms ensure that no more than 30 consistent customers, or 114 customers, of the overall allocation consistent with acre, whether allowed to enter PYO spaces at any time”). Farms are also not allowed to host agricultural tourism occasions such as hay walks, farm visits and labyrinths, as the application of the six-foot rule is more difficult to do with such activities.
Farms are no exception to the mask rule: staff and visitors are required to wear headdresses when they are on farm property. “This is critical for some PYO crops that position nearby consumers to produce in the plant,” MDAR rules say. Staff must also wear disposable gloves at all times.
Are you thinking of putting a cranberry in your mouth after you pick it up? It’s not allowed. To minimize the threat of pollution harvesting activities, MDAR says consumers deserve not being allowed to eat products in the fields. Farms also deserve to remove product samples.
The MDAR prohibits the use of reusable bags, boxes and/or harvest boxes and suggests that farms distribute harvest boxes while visitors register. “Customers can’t bring with them or use reusable bags for PYO activities on the farm,” the rules say.
Farms will not only have to permanently disinfect their own registration stations, equipment, credit card readers and other areas, but they must also supply hand washing stations for staff and guests. The rules state that “hand-disinfection stations would possibly be useful, but they will not be used as a replacement for hand washing stations.”
Stina Cofsky, who works as a store manager at Ward’s Berry Farm in Sharon, said top consumers understood all the new rules.
“Obviously, they have to wear a mask on the box and use hand sanitizer, and they’re not allowed to eat anything on the floor,” he said. “We are also restricting the number of other people on the floor and checking the exit to keep it as spaced as possible for social distance. Sometimes there are lines, unfortunately, however, we go out to advance them as temporarily as possible, so other people have understood it and have been very patient with us when we check in to take them to the checkout. Some other people caused us disorders [and refused to put on a mask], however, we provided them with a mask they had to wear. The box. “
While Ward’s Berry Farm lately has been making strawberries, blueberries and wildflowers, it has had to give up its hay hikes and close a barn that was used in the past through a 4-H group. The farm also experienced a drop in attendance.
“I think there have been fewer [visitors], but I also feel like there’s not much to do right now, so it’s exciting that other people can faint,” Cofsky said. “They feel safer because they’re outside.”
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