The Plan is Mostly Complete

Market management and the Borough of Collingswood are working to make the site plan for 2021 as safe and efficient as possible. This is the state of the plan as of FRI APR 09. As details change, I will update the graphic above on this site.

Important Details for Everyone

1. TRAFFIC PATTERN.
   • The plan as of FRI APR 09 permits two-way pedestrian traffic through the Market. How or whether that will ever mean that pedestrians can take whatever path they wish is not yet determined.
   • Either way, shoppers will be able to see what’s available at tables from either side of the Market, making it easier to plan where to shop for specific items.
2. CROWD SIZE.
   • The Collingswood Police Department is determined to keep a close control on crowds, perhaps to the extent that we will limit the number of shoppers in the Market at any time. 

Farm Vendors

1.  FULL SPACE OR SHARED SPACE. Until we reach the limit of farms that will fit, all farm vendors will occupy either a full space or a shared space underneath the PATCO Speedline.
   • Spaces “between the mulch” are five 10-foot parking spaces wide.
   • Last year, smaller operations such as Buck Wild Bison and Headquarters Lamb were able to share a full space and park their trucks with their tables under the Speedline.
2.  NO NEED TO MOVE EVERY WEEK.
   • For the most part, farms will be placed once and occupy the same location for the entire season.
   • This rule cannot be followed in every case since some farms—Cymron Cottage, Eckert’s Corn Truck, Hymer’s Farm, Wm. Schober Sons, Windy Farm Alpaca, Ammon Blueberries, Brookeberry Berry Farm, Woods Edge—don’t attend all season, or require various-sized spaces at different times.
3.  EXCEPTIONS TO THE “UNDER PATCO” POLICY
   • Four farms—Davidson’s Mushrooms, Woods Edge Farm, Headquarters Lamb, and Nature’s Own Farm—have already been provisionally placed on the plan on the “sunny side,” exceptions to the general rule.
   • Other ad hoc exceptions may also occur.
4.  SEPARATION OF LARGE FARM CATEGORIES.
   • The Market Director will space and separate large general produce farms from one another, to spread shoppers as evenly as possible throughout the Market.
   • The same “separate the types” policy might also apply to the organic farms and to the “seasonal crush” farms such as the corn truck and the apple/peach orchards.
5.  SPACE LIMITATIONS
   • REMAIN INSIDE THE PARKING SPACES. 
   • REMAIN INSIDE THE PARKING SPACES. I need to say this twice.
   • REMAIN INSIDE THE PARKING SPACES. If we’re going to leave enough room for pedestrians between the FARM and the NONFARM spaces, no vendor will be permitted to place tents or products in the pedestrian lanes. This means parking at the back of the space and keeping tents, tables, and signage INSIDE the parking spaces.
     • NO EXCEPTIONS TO THIS RULE.
6.   HAVE A LOCATION PREFERENCE?
   • The Market Director may not be able to accommodate your request, but if YOU ARE BUYING THE ENTIRE SEASON, and you have a preferred location (or general area—”The middle,” or “the west end,” or “the east end,” for example), please say so immediately.
7. STILL WAITING FOR APPROVAL?
   • I apologize that it’s not possible to schedule new vendors very far in advance until I work out details for those who will have to share the season. Space is limited, and I will approve as many applicants as possible until the spaces are full.

NonFarm Vendors

1. NORTH SIDE OF THE MARKET.
   • Equal-size spaces are planned for nonfarm vendors on the north side of the Market, the “sunny side.” No need for nonfarm vendors to specify how many spaces they require.
2. VEHICLES AS SPACERS.
   • Every third parking space will be allocated to a nonfarm vendor vehicle. Vendors will be expected to leave a vehicle in that space from Market Open to Market Close to provide crowd control spacing and to keep vehicles out of the traffic lanes on North Atlantic Avenue.
3. TWO-SPACES PER VENDOR.
   • Between the vehicles, every nonfarm vendor will have two 10-foot wide parking spaces to set up tent(s) and table(s), preferably as far back in the spaces as possible to create adequate room for shoppers to get out of the traffic lanes.
4. REMAIN INSIDE THE PARKING SPACES.
   • If we’re going to leave enough room for pedestrians between the FARM and the NONFARM spaces, no vendor will be permitted to place tents or products in the pedestrian lanes. This means parking at the back of the space and keeping tents, table, and signage INSIDE the parking spaces.
     • NO EXCEPTIONS TO THIS RULE.
5. HAVE A LOCATION PREFERENCE?
   • The Market Director has accommodated as many of your specific space requests as possible.