Vibrant berries, fresh sourdough bread, vegan sushi bowls, and much more can be purchased at the Newton farmers’ markets. For almost fifty years, the markets have been a cornerstone of the community, providing a wide array of produce, fish, and prepared foods. Regan MacPherson, who works at Pocket Watch Bakery’s stand, said that she prizes the market for being a place for community connectedness and engagement.
“I look forward to it every week, and just putting smiles on people’s faces and just seeing everybody,” she said.
The Tuesday farmers’ market runs from 1:30 to 6:00 in Cold Spring Park (1200 Beacon Street), and the Saturday market runs from 9:30 to 12:30 at Newton North High School (350 Lowell Avenue). By the time the markets open, however, the farmers and vendors have already been preparing for hours. Lauren Marinoff, the owner of Big Little Pies, was surprised to discover, after becoming a vendor, all of the work that goes on behind the scenes.
“My experience as a customer at a farmers’ market, I sort of was like, ‘this just all appears,’” she said. “Now, being on the other side of it, it’s a ton of work to be putting up these tents every time, lugging the tables and stuff, putting it in and out of the car. It’s a lot of work, but it’s a ton of fun.”
Some farmers wake up as early as 3:30AM to load the produce they have harvested during the week onto trucks, drive to Newton, and set up their stands in time for opening.
A place to connect
Farmers’ markets are more than just a way to pick up some food; they are also centers for socialization and building community. Vendors and attendees alike said that their favorite part of the market is the people they encounter. Allyson MacKenna of the Newton Community Farm believes that the purpose of farmers’ markets transcends simply buying and selling goods.
“We don’t see it as just a sales opportunity,” she said. “We really see it as a place to build relationships and share knowledge.”
The bonds between vendors and their customers are not the only connections formed at the market. The market also acts as a community meeting place – a space outside of work and school where people can interact and meet other members of the community. MacKenna said that she cherishes the positive environment and connections that she sees among market attendees.
“I just love how supportive our community is in Newton.” she said. “Everybody looks out for everybody.”
The farmers’ market brings together people residents all over Newton as well as vendors and farmers from around the state. Alexander Thompson, the owner of Ma’s Marmalade, said that this diversity helps to expose attendees to a unique variety of different lifestyles and traditions.
“I’m from Rockport, Mass, where we don’t get a lot of diversity in whom we see wandering around the town,” he said. “So when I see people from all different cultures walking by my stall, it encourages me to sort of be a little bit more outgoing and to engage these folks.”
Customers are also exposed to different cultures via the variety of different cuisines at the market, from Nepali to French to Japanese.
Live entertainment
Food and friends aren’t the only things that bring people to the market, though. The city also provides live music and yoga classes, both of which were met with approval from attendees. Anna Varela from We Grow Microgreens! said that these performances add nicely to the overall ambience of the market.
“I think that [it] is a super cute touch,” she said.
One way that the city tries to ensure that everybody can enjoy the fresh local produce is through programs like HIP (Healthy Incentives Program) and SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), which are initiatives to lessen food insecurity and help disadvantaged individuals get fresh fruits and vegetables. Although many farmstands are unable to accept HIP and SNAP, the City has facilitated and managed the use of these programs at farmers market, allowing people to use them at vendor’s stands.
“Everyone should have access to nutritious, locally grown food, and the market really helps us to make that a reality,” said MacKenna.
Additionally, the City is able to match the HIP and SNAP money through subsidies from businesses like the Village Bank and Direct Tire.
Favorable environmental impact
Farmers’ markets are generally more environmentally conscious than large supermarkets due to the shorter distances that products need to travel, which lowers carbon emissions, and the more sustainable growing practices that the farmers typically employ. Market Manager Nancy Scammon thinks that this is one major incentive for people to shop at farmers’ markets.
“I think people who come here care about the environment, care about farms, care about organic food,” she said.
The markets also allow attendees to learn in person from farmers about how their food is grown. For MacKenna, these discussions are a way for her to spread the word about sustainable farming as well as to learn new environmentally friendly ways of growing food.
“It’s amazing how [much] information we just share talking about organic practices and soil health and why it makes a difference to the planet,” she said. “So you’re shopping right there in the Newton farmers’ market, but you’re helping to protect the entire planet.”
Of the many organizations that attend the Newton farmers’ markets, most are small businesses relying heavily on the markets for sales and visibility. For some businesses, their consumers can purchase their products only online or at the Newton farmers’ markets, making the market a vital source of income. Yoko Bryden, who co-founded her business Hungry Ninja, believes that other small businesses like hers can find success at local farmers’ markets.
“It’s a great way to start your business,” she said. “You’re supporting really small businesses by coming.”
Room for improvement
Some aspects of the markets that people thought could be improved upon were advertising and parking. Varela said that there are many people who do not know much about the farmers’ markets, and that some good publicity and advertising could help increase future attendance.
“I’d really never heard of this before I came to work here,” she said. “Marketing would be a good step forward to get more people to come.”
One issue is that increased attendance could worsen the already difficult parking, particularly at the Tuesday market, where cars line up for quite a distance down Beacon Street in both directions.
MacKenna, like many other vendors and Newton residents, is overall very thankful for the market as an opportunity to connect with other people while at the same time supporting small-scale, sustainable farming. “We’re really grateful to be part of a city that supports local agriculture,” she said. “[These markets] help keep small farms like ours visible while cultivating stronger and healthier communities.”
Andrew Petrilla is a Fig City News summer intern and a rising junior at Newton South High School.
