CCE of Madison Co. offering curbside pickup, delivering farm-fresh food to families amid COVID-19 pandemic

MORRISVILLE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — The Cornell Cooperative Extension of Madison County is connecting families to farmers as grocery store shelves become bare.

Locally grown food will be available for pre-purchase and then available for pickup at a curbside exchange point.

The reason for this effort is explained by Dr. Karin Bump, Executive Director of CCE Madison, “Our friends, families, and neighbors need access to quality locally grown food during this period of social distancing. Providing ways to direct-buy with curbside pickup allows an option very much in line with our programming plans that encourage the residents of Madison County to buy local and support their local farmers. We are fortunate to have a community of direct-sale farmers who work hard every day to produce high-quality food – we hope this program makes it easier for direct-sale farmers and consumers to connect while following CDC recommendations for social distancing”.

All participants are expected to follow CDC Guidelines including:

• Avoid direct contact by maintaining a 6-foot distance using drop off/pick up procedure as follows:
  • Ideally, the seller and the buyer should clean/sanitize their hands prior to the exchange
  • Seller should obtain description of buyers vehicle or other identifying information
  • Once the buyer arrives at one of the 100 Eaton Street Exchange Points (look for a sign in the upper parking lot) they should remain in their vehicle parked at least 6 feet away from the seller.
  • Seller then places the buyer’s purchases at the curb and maintains a distance of at least 6 feet from the products and the buyer.
  • Once the buyer has their products, all involved should clean/sanitize hands immediately

Participants are asked to contact each farm/seller with any questions and to arrange payment and curbside pick-up. Signs denoting Exchange Points will be put out in the front parking lot of CCE Madison at 100 Eaton Street in Morrisville.

For a complete list of participating farms and their contact information, visit MadisonCountyCCE.org.

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