The Jefferson County Farmers Market Association announced the Chimacum Farmers Market will open for its summer season June 7.

The market will celebrate its 10th year of operation. But this year will look a bit different than in the past.

Because of the governor’s “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” order, the market will only have food and farm vendors, instead of the normal mix of food, arts and live music.

“We will follow the health and safety plan developed in partnership with Jefferson County Public Health,” wrote Amanda Milholland, director of Jefferson County Farmers Market Association. “This includes food and farm vendors only during Phase 1 of the ‘Stay at Home, Stay Healthy’ order.”

Located in the parking lot of the Chimacum Corner Farmstand, the market will be open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. each Sunday. There will be a senior citizen and immunocompromised shopping hour from 10 to 11 a.m.

All vendors and market staff will wear face masks and clean hands and surfaces frequently. There will be hand-washing stations available, as well as hand sanitizer.

“We will monitor the market to ensure that there is plenty of space for physical distancing,” Milholland wrote.

In addition to instituting social distancing at the market, the association created an online marketplace. So far, customers have been able to order produce from Tuesday to Thursday on the website and pick up their items at the Port Townsend Farmers Market on Saturdays.

The market is vital to local food accessibility. With a dollar-for-dollar Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) match, those who are eligible for those benefits can purchase fresh fruit, vegetables and edible plant starts and receive a dollar match for every dollar spent, with no limit.

The farmers market is also an opportunity to support the many local farmers who live and work in Chimacum.

“I think of spending money with local businesses as a way to multiply my buying power,” Milholland said. “I spend $20 on food from one of our amazing local farms and the farmer has that $20 to buy seed or pay their crew. Now more than ever, how we shop impacts the resiliency of our community. Our dollars invested locally will help us all rise out of this health crisis together, with our values intact and our neighbors by our sides.”

Milholland asks market customers to be thoughtful of the health of fellow shoppers, vendors and market staff.

“Please stay home if you are sick or have been near someone who is sick, wear a facemask, wash your hands before you start shopping, and respect physical distancing of at least 6 feet at the market,” she said.

Because of the current global health circumstances, the market association will not host the Port Townsend Wednesday Farmers market this season.

“We don’t know yet if this will be a permanent closure of our mid-week market,” Milholland said. “Like all other local businesses we are adapting to best meet the needs of our community as well as support local farms and small businesses.”