The Ironton Farmers Market is still going to start its eighth season this spring.

“The market is scheduled to open on Friday, May 1,” said Sam Heighton, the market manager and the executive director of Ironton aLive, which puts on the Ironton Farmers Market. “Farmers markets are considered essential and many around the country are open now.”

He said that there are several models and examples of how vendors and customers are practicing the social distancing rule.

“I will be talking with Ironton Mayor Sam Cramblit, the Ohio Farmers Market Management Network and other market managers to determine an opening date and a process that will be safe,” Heighton said.

The Ironton Farmers Market is held at Market Square on Second Street in Ironton on Friday and Saturday from 7 a.m.–3 p.m. or until vendors sell out. The market’s vendors are from Lawrence County and surrounding counties and they offer a variety of goods from seasonal produce like gourds and pumpkins, baked goods, honey, eggs, homemade candy, homemade crafts and flowers.

For those interested in setting up booths, the vendor meeting scheduled for April 7 has been canceled, if you had planned to attend as a possible new vendor, follow Ironton Farmers Market on Facebook or watch the paper for an announcement of an opening date. Heighton said that updated information concerning the upcoming season will be available to vendors by phone or email concerning opening day.