In these spring and summer months, thoughts of our farmers market conjure images of vibrant fruits and vegetables, lush plants and flower bouquets, sparkling jars of homemade jams and butters, and tables laden with an array of specialty products. And everywhere, eager shoppers and friendly faces. Yet, by the time this article reaches the hands of Apex readers, the opening day of this year’s Apex Farmers Market will have come and gone. Silently. Thankfully, Feed Apex grew out of the economic hardship of the pandemic like a sturdy seedling sprouting in a dusty field.
A collaborative effort between the Apex Farmers Market, the Apex Downtown Business Association, and The Bowerbird Agency, Feed Apex provides a safe way for residents to continue to enjoy the offerings of our area’s independent producers. The growing season didn’t come to end, after all, just our familiar channels for acquiring what comes from the farmers and artisans.
Feed Apex is the Apex Farmers Market’s weekly, super-simple, drive-through pick-up solution. Here’s how it works:
SHOP. Browse feedapex.org to see what each week’s participating vendors have to offer. You’ll see everything from meat and seafood to meal kits and baked goods to eggs and cheese. And, of course, fresh produce. Check the website every week to see what new items are available.
PAY. Place your order and pay online as early in the week as possible, but before noon on Thursdays, as indicated on the Feed Apex website.
PICK UP. On Saturdays between 10:00am and 12:30pm, until further notice, the vendors line up in alphabetical order along Seaboard Street, which is the road behind the Downtown businesses, parallel to the railroad tracks. As a shopper (i.e. “picker-upper”), you enter from the Chatham Street side, behind Anna’s Pizzeria, and stop at each vendor with whom you placed an order. The vendors put your purchases into your car for you. You smile and say, “Thank you!” and exit onto Salem Street by the Chamber of Commerce and old caboose.
No walk-throughs will be permitted, and vendors will not conduct any on-site sales. Only drive-through pre-order pick-ups are allowed. It’s the easy, safe way to shop the Market and support local farmers and producers during uncertain times.
You may be wondering how long this style of farm-to-table shopping will be in place. Rest assured, you are not the only one wondering. Even as these words are being printed, we are, little by little, easing back into new but familiar routines that resemble life before the pandemic. The Apex Farmers Market has our best interests at heart. As a non-profit organization “committed to the health, wellness, and longevity of our community,” it’s easy to understand and appreciate that the Market we all know and love will only open and function at full capacity once all restrictions are lifted. Check their website often for the very latest information and calendar of events.
Until then, shop Feed Apex (feedapex.org) and thank the vendors when you see them at pick-up. Reach out online or through social media to the Apex Farmers Market (apexfarmersmarket.com), the Apex Downtown Business Association (apexdowntown.com), and The Bowerbird Agency (bowerbirdagency.com) to show your support for their creativity and determination in keeping our Market operating in the safest way possible.
We are Apex. We are The Peak of Good Living. It takes more than a global health crisis to keep us from finding solutions, building partnerships, appreciating each another, and eating well.
