In this time of covid-19 restrictions, farmers markets have joined other businesses in modifying their operations.

“We’re following the state requirements for keeping social distance and asking everyone to wear masks,” said Randy Morris, a Sewickley Township farmer who organizes the Irwin Farmers Market.

About 24 vendors sell fresh produce, baked goods and other products at the farmers market from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday at an office parking lot along Pennsylvania Avenue, near the Main Street intersection, said Morris, who owns Morris Organic Farm near Herminie.

Vendors attach plastic “walls” to their tents that cover their products and provide a barrier between their sales area and neighboring ones, Morris said. Customers are asked to keep their distance from others.

Because of the covid-19 restrictions, the farmers market got a later start this year. It opened about five Saturdays ago, about the time Westmoreland County moved to the green phase on June 5.

Despite the late start, Morris said, “we’ve had an excellent season.”

At the West Newton farmers market along Collinsburg Road on Tuesday, about a half-dozen vendors wore masks for the most part as they interacted with customers, explaining their goods and handling transactions for vegetables, baked goods and candles.

Some vendors had signs asking that customers not handle produce.

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