GREENSBORO, N.C. — Few things have stayed constant throughout the pandemic, but one thing that has not changed is our need for food.

As people look for fresh, local options for their recipes at home, growers and farmers are enjoying an increased demand for their products.

“We’re not doing the sales in the same way that we were. It’s not as much face to face, and it’s not leisurely milling about the farmer’s market with a cup of coffee,” says Tracy Lafleur, the owner of Sugar Hill Produce in Hillsborough. “People are shopping with a purpose now. People are spending more time at home. They’re spending more time cooking, and they want good, fresh produce and all the ingredients to go with it.”

Some farmers are making up for bulk business they lost from restaurants and hotels by selling more to farmer’s market goers.

“During the summertime it probably hit its all time high,” says Angela Blomer, the assistant manager of the Greensboro Farmers Curb Market. “As folks were really considering canning and preserving foods, they were looking for quantity. They were looking for bushels of string beans and baskets of tomatoes. We see that continue to carry through.”

Sugar Hill Produce and the Greenboro Farmers Curb Market started online and curbside options during the pandemic.

Blomer says research shows 90% of people who tried curbside options during the pandemic, even at places like farmer’s markets, will continue that method even after states lift restrictions.