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caption:
Opening Day
Farmers set up their wares when the farmer's market opened at Riverview Marketplace on Kennedy Drive in Putnam in July 2009. Putnam Town Crier file photo.
Saturday market
may join line-up
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
The farmer's market along Putnam's Quinebaug River may be expanding to the Holy Grail of farmer's markets this year --- Saturdays..
The regional farmer's market, which opened in July 2009, is packed full most Monday and Thursday afternoons during the extended summer months.
Town and farm organization officials are pursuing adding Saturdays to that successful mix.
Putnam's Community and Economic Development Director Delpha Very said the town is working on adding more funding to the plan. "The plan would give northeast Connecticut residents a chance to shop at a Saturday market and a Saturday market is clearly the most productive," she said. Folks would also be able to use the River Trail, which, last year, was extended from the Medal of Honor (Breault) pedestrian bridge to the market.
A $500 stipend from the Eastern Connecticut Resource Conservation and Development Area for a Saturday farmer's market is already in place. In addition that non-profit organization is applying to the National Resource Conservation Service for additional funds for a "market master."
Very said a market master would be hired to organize a Saturday farmer's market in Putnam. The master would plan and implement the market, would invite the northeast Connecticut farmers group to come and then fill in with other farmers. The master would seek vendors, plan themed events, cultivate market programs and plan workshops on ecology friendly subjects like composting and nutrition. Entertainment, such as a fiddle player strolling through the Saturday farmer's market, might also be part of a market master's plans.
The eventual goal, Very said, would be to make the Saturday farmer's market self-sustainable, as the Monday and Thursday markets are. The Coventry Farmer's Market had a market master and is now self-sustaining with volunteers. A market master now works with Lebanon's farmer's market and the goal is the same --- for the market to grow into a self-sustaining market.
Very said all involved hope to hear word on the federal grant money within the month and if it's a thumb's up, move the plan forward in time for this summer.
In addition, the federal Department of Agriculture recently awarded the Northeast Organic Farming Association of Connecticut a $73,000 grant for a Winter Food Program. The grant would go for specialty crops in Connecticut and focuses on increasing the availability, sales and consumption of locally grown, organic and sustainable fruits, vegetables and herbs in the winter and on educating farmers in the best practices for growing, storing and marketing winter crops. The group plans to educate consumers on the availability of specialty crops during the winter months, too.
Very said many towns in New England have limited indoor farmer's markets to help farmers and keep patrons interested in local food all year long.