Editor’s Note: This article is part of BeaverCountian.com’s ongoing series, “The Beaver County Coronavirus Chronicles,” the county’s historical experience of the pandemic. Click here to see more of the series.
INDEPENDENCE TOWNSHIP
Calvin McConnell took a pause from the orchards Tuesday to talk about how he, his father and uncle are still doing business as usual during the coronavirus on the family farm in Independence Township.
“Right now, there’s no difference,” he said. “We keep our distance because we live in three different houses. We’re working in the orchards, our trees (for future planting) are on order and we’re ordering seeds this week.
“A lot of people hate the isolation (of the coronavirus quarantine), but to me, there’s no difference.”
But the virus has had an effect on another of McConnell’s interests, the Beaver County Farmers Market, of which he is a board member. The board canceled its spring meeting and will have to make a decision in the coming weeks on whether to open county farmers’ markets as usual the first week in May.
“That decision will be based on guidance from public officials,” McConnell said.
As for the family’s McConnell’s Farm & Market, McConnell said there’s still plenty of time to make a decision on when and how to conduct business. The family market, noted for its peaches, doesn’t usually open until early July, he said.
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