The Fondy Food Center is wrapping up this year's winter farmer's market season.
However, as the COVID-19 pandemic continues, many local businesses are looking for any opportunity to make contact with customers.
On Saturday, March 28, pre-orders through market vendors will be picked up by customers, instead of the normal, bustling food market experience.
Fondy Food Market is hoping to offer the order pickup next weekend and into April.
LAKEVIEW BUFFALO FARM:
Friday, Al Weyker of Lakeview Buffalo Farm spoke with TMJ4 News.
The farmer's life is all he knows.
"The family started in 1848. We had a dairy family farm and converted to buffaloes in 1996," Weyker said.
Weyker runs the Ozaukee county farm. He said since the COVID-19 pandemic, his farm has seen a significant impact.
"I would say better than half [of] our meat goes to restaurants, and our restaurants are closed," Weyker said. "Until our restaurants get back in operation, we really have few meat sales outside of our customers at farmer's markets."
Restaurants that use Lakeview Buffalo Farm products.
ALICE'S GARDEN URBAN FARM:
Alice's Garden Urban Farm is also adjusting to the COVID-19 impact.
For the past decade, the renovated 2.2 acres of land has provided people in the community access to fresh fruits, herbs, and vegetables.
Now, with many of its retail partners closed, Alice's Garden still offers natural products to customers.
Venice Williams has about a dozen orders packed up and ready to go for pickup at Fondy Food Market on Saturday. She's one of a dozen vendors doing the same.
"We're trying to do our best to not just let our businesses go by the wayside, by providing people with our naturally grown, organic products," Williams said.
A large stream of the garden's income comes from its presence between five different farmer's markets weekly.
"For people like myself whose product is in stores that must close, that means the normal stream of income doesn't exist," Williams said.
For Williams, Alice's Garden is more about service than finances as it gives people in the community access to fresh food.
It's an opportunity many families won't have otherwise.
"I now have a waiting list of 48 families who want to grow their own food. Three weeks ago, that waiting list was at nine," Williams said.
The garden's store online is still open.