April 22, 2019 by Carol Britton Meyer
Along with the arrival of spring and hopefully warmer weather comes the May 4 opening of the Hingham Farmers Market.
It’s a toss-up as to who is more excited -- market organizers, vendors, or patrons -- following the long winter.
HFM, now in its 43rd year, is the third-oldest farmers market in Massachusetts. Offerings from its 40 vendors include seasonal plants, flowers, fresh produce, bakery, cheese, poultry, beef, seafood, eggs, honey, artisan wares, and more.
The 2019 market will again operate from the Bathing Beach parking lot off Rte. 3A Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. from May 4 through part of November.
New and returning vendors
Market Manager Bill Marshall and everyone involved in organizing the market can't wait for opening day. "We're looking forward to another successful season," he said. "We have some new vendors, plus our regulars will be back."
Marshall Farm, run by Marshall and his family, will offer a full range of annuals, perennials, and other plants -- from iris, flox, lavender, and astilbe to four different colors of daylilies, miniature rose bushes, ferns, and strawberry and tomato plants. There will also be begonias, coleus, sweet potato vine, lantana, geraniums, and by mid-May or so, hanging plants.
Baking with Joy owners Linda and Wendell Davis have been a HFM vendor for several years and are enthusiastic about participating again this year. "We're happy that spring is here and that the HFM will be starting soon," Linda said. "We always enjoy seeing our regular customers and look forward to meeting new ones. We will be baking up a storm to bring fresh, tasty products to the market and may have some new additions to add to the mix."
HFM is expecting most if not all of its 2018 vendors to return, including Freitas Farm, Copicut Farms, Second Nature Farm, Oakdale Farms, River Rock Farm, Jordan Seafood, Narragansett Creamery, Pain D'Avignon, Coastal Vineyards, Sommers' Bounty, farmer Mary Bukujian, C & C Seafood, and many others. "We expect to welcome Westport Rivers Winery back this year," said HFM President Mark Cullings. "We're excited about the upcoming season, working around the construction of the new bathhouse/snack shop."
Looking back, "The Winter Market was very successful, and we look forward to doing it again," he said. "It seems to have become a permanent part of the HFM, and we're very grateful to Second Parish Church for providing us with the space -- it's a very nice venue."
Friends meet and greet patrons
The volunteer Friends of the Hingham Farmers Market will be onhand as always to welcome patrons, answer questions, and to assist those who wish to participate in the SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly referred to as food stamps) program, in which the market participates.This is the Friends' fourth year of being involved with SNAP.
Last year the Friends coordinated a partnership with Whole Foods Market that provided a limited matching program for SNAP participants (up to $15 per person each market day of the season) to bolster their purchasing power. The Friends are seeking a new corporate sponsor for the new market season.
"The Friends has a strong mission with regard to SNAP," said HFM Friends member Linda Luke. "We believe in the importance of expanding everyone's access to local seasonal produce. This helps people stretch their dollars and be able to buy more healthy food."
The Friends remain committed to participating in SNAP and are also exploring the possibility of hosting a fundraising effort to provide the matching funds for this year through the HFM Facebook page "that could be supported through many small donations," Luke said. "If we could encourage 100 people to donate $25 each, that would equal last year's match amount (about $2,500 or so) for the season. We feel the generous shoppers at the market understand that this is part of a common good."
New volunteers are welcome. Just stop by the Friends table at the market for more info or to sign up.
Luke thinks that once the details are ironed out, the new bathhouse with a snack shop will be a nice addition to the bathing beach area. "This will be an opportunity for people to do a little shopping at the market, grab a meal at the snack stand, take a swim, and then hang around the beach for awhile," she said.
The market offers a weekly newsletter containing up-to-date info about what’s happening at the market. Interested readers may sign up on the market Facebook page, its website, www.hinghamfarmersmarket.org, or at the “Friends” tent at the market.