RAMSEUR, N.C. — We've heard about empty grocery store shelves but what about the people who grow the food that foes on those shelves? Farmers are also impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak.
For Beverly Mooney of Millstone Creek Orchards in Randolph County, it's the lack of visitor's that's affecting her.
"This is the time of year where we try to make payroll and we have two farmers that are critically needed out to get ready for these great crops to come to harvest later this year," Mooney said.
She grows berries, peaches, apples, pumpkins and more but her real cash crop is people coming to pick their own produce. COVID-19 brought that to a screeching halt. Mooney knew that, and fewer restaurants and food distributors buying farm-grown items, would affect other farmers and food producers. That's why she started a mobile market.
"Initially it was to keep our head above water," she said. "But then we started thinking about my neighbor ,that’s a strawberry producer, how's his strawberry crop in three weeks going to get to market."
Mooney is now selling items from ten different farms and producers. You can pick the items up curbside at the orchard or get them delivered if you're in a 15-mile radius. She even re-vamped their website, millstonecreekorchards.com, to make it easy to order. She said, so far, most of her customers are seniors who can't leave their homes.
"Those are the folks that can’t go out and we do not even interact with these clients," she said. "We actually come there they tell us where to leave their product, we leave it we send them a text or a call so they know their product is. It’s a very safe way of getting this food to them."
Mooney says it's the small farms and producers who will hurt the most from this outbreak and they depend on selling their crops to keep their farms afloat and to plant for the next season.
They make deliveries Wednesday - Saturday and this week the Easter Bunny will even help drop off your items so your kids can wave at him from a safe distance.