Michelle Pringle, of Agreeable Nature Free Range Eggs, said their business as usual involved selling at the Otago Farmers Market, delivering to cafes, and selling produce at the gate of their South Otago farm.
However, with much of that income "collapsing" under Covid-19 Alert Level 4, she was grateful to be able to take orders via email and do contactless home deliveries.
"It is not anywhere near like our normal business, but it is something, and it is providing the people who support us with our eggs," she said.
"[The customers] are amazing because they share the information with their family and friends, and that just gets so many more people on board. It is a great community connect."
Dropping off home deliveries was also a chance to give customers a wave through their window, which was "nice", particularly for the elderly who were often home alone.
Without the support of the local community, Ms Pringle said their business would be in a "terrible" way.
"I just don’t even know how we would be.
"[The customers] are so grateful, and I’m so grateful right back at them ... it is just a really awesome relationship."
For as long as restrictions continued deliveries would be made on Saturdays and Wednesdays.
Any extra eggs would be donated to the food bank, to ensure no fresh food went to waste, Ms Pringle said.
Otago Farmers Market manager Michele Driscoll said about 15 vendors were able to do contactless deliveries under Level 4, allowing for a virtual market to operate.
That included Gilbert's Fine Food, Ettrick Gardens, Holy Cow, Blue Mountain Butchery, Princes St Butcher and Harbour Fish.
"In lockdown, the chooks do not stop laying, the cows still need milking, and the vegetables do not stop growing," she said.
"Nature keeps rolling on, and the one thing we do not want to see at times like this is food wastage.
"I think it is really important that the market can keep operating, as much as we can."
Ms Driscoll agreed that it could not have happened without the loyal market customers.
"They have been so supportive since the last lockdown with buying local and knowing they are making a difference to our community, and our vendors’ livelihoods."
At Level 3, more businesses would be able to begin contactless deliveries, and the market would be able to return in its physical form under Level 2.
Ms Driscoll said she was updating the market’s Facebook page as she heard from vendors that could operate.
