Farmers’ Market once again highlights regional agriculture

Hoffman Breat as last year’s Easthampton Farmers’ Market.
Photo credit: Easthampton Farmers’ Market

EASTHAMPTON — A local staple that meets the needs of the community through a farm-focused lens is ready for another scorching summer season.

The Easthampton Farmers’ Market returns for the summer market season on Sunday, May 24, and will take place every Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. until Oct. 11 at the City Hall parking lot.

The market promotes regional agriculture to ensure a continuing supply of fresh, local produce in Easthampton. Its main purpose is to support farmers and preserve farmland for future generations by providing regional, small family farmers with opportunities to sell their fruits, vegetables and other farm products.

The other goal is to provide a weekly, seasonal community gathering space that centers around agriculture, fresh food and sustainability, something the market has accomplished for the last 18 years in various fashions.

Market Manager Julia Zegarra is entering her second summer as manager and told Reminder Publishing the market is set for another packed summer season, offering the community quality foods and products from farmers and makers from all over the Pioneer Valley and Western Massachusetts.

“We have about 45 vendors that will be coming, and about half of those will be full-time. Most of the full-time people are going to be offering vegetables, fruits; [there are] people selling bread. We have a coffee guy who will be there every week and makes amazing coffee drinks. Several farms and a couple of bakers,” said Zegarra.

The farm-focused market features vendors who grow, raise, produce and create products themselves, or provide unique products that represent other local farmers. Some of the farms featured this year include Whately’s Lombrico Farm, Dave’s Natural Garden from Granby, Little Light Farm from Amherst and Chicopee’s Nightjar Farm. Also featured this year is Mayval Farm offering milk, cheese and beef options. Underline Farm will also return to provide its signature chicken and eggs.

Zegarra said people can find the full list of participating vendors each week by signing up for the market newsletter. A link to that sign-up can be found at easthamptonmarket.com/vendors-products.

“We’ve got a ton of people, so it’s going to be busy, but it’s going to be great,” said Zegarra. “People just like having easy access to local farmers because you don’t get that in a grocery store.”

The market also seeks to assist those facing food insecurity by working with local organizations and seeking out produce vendors who accept SNAP and HIP. The market is currently HIP-approved and can assist SNAP recipients with HIP benefits. Additionally, the market offers a SNAP-match program where they match $10 of a recipient’s SNAP funds each week.

“The match is great because it lets people get more food than they would be able to otherwise. It also lets farmers sell their food. If a package of chicken costs $15, but you only have $10 left on your card, we’ll still match it, and you can buy the chicken or buy the apples or whatever you want to buy,” explained Zegarra. “It helps everybody, the farmers and the customers, and people really like that. We probably get about 25 or 30 people a week doing the SNAP match, and it’s great. It helps them a lot. Plus, that way farmers don’t have to worry about signing up for SNAP.”

She said people will have the option to refill products like dried beans, rice, and other pantry staple items, and attendees of the market can bring their own 16-ounce mason jar for easy refills of certain items offered by some of the farms. Live music and other artisan vendors and makers will also be on site each week, as well as food trucks for the bulk of the season.

Zegarra said the market has blossomed into a beloved staple in the Easthampton community due to the great variety of local, organic and trusted options offered each year by farmers. She said the team that organizes the event is proud to carry on this annual market for the community.

“I’m a pretty introverted person, so being the market manager has made me become more outgoing, and getting to know people has been great. Even though I’ve lived in Easthampton for 10 years, I don’t feel like I know that many people, so for me personally, it’s been great for that,” said Zegarra. “Just hearing people stopping by the market manager tent and go, ‘this is such a great market, we love it, we love coming,’ and vendors telling me the same thing, I think it’s great to feel like you’re making a difference in the place where you live, and I think our board of directors feels the same way about it. It’s great to be able to connect people with local produce. It just makes you feel warm and fuzzy.”
For more information on the Easthampton Farmers’ Market, visit easthamptonmarket.com.