BERLIN – The Berlin Farmers Market kicks off its second season in a new location this week.
On Sunday, May 5, the Berlin Farmers Market opens for the 2019 season. The market, which will be located on Pitts Street, features 21 vendors and will be open every Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. through October.
“Come support our local farmers,” said Ivy Wells, the town’s economic and community development director.
The market, which was started last year on Artisans Green, will now operate on Pitts Street. It will be set up on the street, a portion of which will be closed to vehicles, as well as in the Taylor Bank parking lot around J&M Meat Market.
Wells said the new location was more accessible to vendors and visitors and also doesn’t require the town to pay a rental fee, as Artisans Green had.
The majority of the vendors who participated in last year’s market will return. In addition, Johnson Bay Oysters & Crabs will be offering seafood and J&M Meat Market will be offering meat. Wells said both were requested by shoppers last year.
“If you can’t make it to the farmers market, J&M Meat Market will be featuring some stuff from the farmers market throughout the week,” Wells said.
Other vendors include Baywater Farms, Chesterfield Heirlooms, Cross Farm, Grays Produce, Sconer, Bratten Farm, Masterpiece Flowers, Bratten Farm, Marshall Creek Farm, Home Canning Classics, Del Vecchio’s Bakery, Goatopia, Anchor Wood Creations, Swamp Boy Botanicals, Eastern Shore Kettle Korn and Gilberts Provisions, among others.
The market will again feature live acoustic music from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wells says she’ll also have newly designed Berlin Farmers Market tote bags available.
Another new feature of the market will be crafts for kids. Wells said a middle school teacher would be present each Sunday to help children with various nature-themed crafts such as felt flowers and apple birdfeeders.
Wells is hopeful that last year’s market success will continue. She encourages those who haven’t visited the Sunday morning market to check it out.
“It’s a way to get out in town on a Sunday morning and say hello to your neighbors,” she said. “I think it’s also important to know where your food is coming from.”
Wells is also in the process of planning a four-course farm-to-table dinner for the summer.
“I believe in the shop local, eat local movement,” she said. “Hyper-local even more so. That means your food is grown and sold here. Many people still don’t know how important that is.”
She added that sharing a meal together was one of the best ways to build community.
“Eating together makes people happy,” she said. “We need more of this.”
