Merrick Park farmers market is back — social-distanced baked goods, veggies and soy candles

At the Shops of Merrick Park, times have changed for the weekly Sunday farmers market vendors, but they are still finding a way to share their artisan goods and specialty foods.

Starting May 24, they were back — in booths 6 feet apart — with masks on at all times.

They wear gloves, and there are requirements for constant hand washing at sanitizer stations for vendors’ use and for customers.

Vendors like Skinny Luly, Albert, the Bread Man, Handmade by Dinah Alvarez and many more are making it work in the age of coronavirus social distancing.

“Overall, it has been especially difficult for small, local business, especially artisan and market vendors, who for the most part have had nowhere to go with their goods,” said Iris Casanova, founder and owner of Florida Fresh Market.

“For the most part, farmers and artisans’ markets have been closed, leaving customers wanting for these specialty locally produced items, while also affecting these vendors’ livelihoods, most of whom depend solely on this for income.”

The group hosts drive-thru pickups all over Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach county locations.

The newest will be Tuesday, June 2, at Dadeland Mall, from 4-9 p.m., when Florida Fresh Market starts up a pre-ordered drive-thru farmers market with many local vendors selling produce, local honey, açaí bowls, juices and smoothies and prepared foods.

“It makes a huge difference, especially when it comes to small/local business,” Casanova said of her 10-year-old business that runs over two dozen farmers markets and artisans markets in the tri-county area.

One new vendor at Merrick Park is Éclat Soy Candles, also a favorite seller on Etsy. The co-owner of the Miami brand is a jeweler, and the hand-poured soy candles actually include a “natural diamond” inside.

To make do with scent-testing, they created a scent bar so instead of touching the candles shoppers can request a smell and be provided with a personal test strip, much like testing out a perfume.

“During these unprecedented times the most challenging thing of all has been losing human contact,” Tere Garcia, co-owner of Éclat Soy Candles, said.

“In the past months, things have shifted and most of our sales have relied heavily on e-commerce, but the joy of being part of and interacting with our community is what keeps us going. Our product has a face, and the face is us. Joel, my husband and co-owner, and I share the love for the product we created with our customers.

“Miami is a resilient community, and all we can ask is for people to come out to the farmers market and support local makers. There is no better feeling than knowing how your product was made.”

Learn more about all the vendors, ordering, and farmers’ market locations at https://www.facebook.com/FloridaFreshMarket/

If you go

The Shops at Merrick Park Farmers Market is open Sundays, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., 358 San Lorenzo Ave., Coral Gables.

This story was originally published May 28, 2020 at 3:39 PM.