Making its debut run in Worthington on Thursday afternoon, the Hilltown Mobile Market was welcomed to town by customers who lined up early to buy farm-fresh produce brought right to town.
“Today was fantastic!” Seva Tower of the Hilltown Community Development Corporation said. “We are very excited to be doing this and it seems like the people here were too because we already had a line at 2:55.”
For the next 10 weeks, the market will be open on Thursdays from 3 to 5 p.m. in Worthington at The Maples, 48 Old North Road and Fridays in Huntington at Stanton Hall Green, 24 Russell Road.
Spearheaded by the HCDC, the Hilltown Health Centers and Healthy Hampshire, and other collaborators, the mobile market pilot project was created to increase the availability of fresh produce at a good price.
“We really wanted to make this affordable to families and seniors,” Tower said noting that the location in Worthington is at the Maples Senior Housing.
The produce comes from six local farms: Crabapple Farm in Chesterfield; the Four Corners Farm in Worthington; the Hart Farm in Conway; Intervale Farm in Westhampton; and the Sawyer Farm in Worthington. The produce available Thursday were kale, chard, scallions, tomatoes, zucchini cucumbers, summer squash, and fennel.
In addition to on-site sales, a farm share program is available which allows customers to pick up a small weekly share for $5 a week. The Hilltown Mobile Market accepts cash, credit, debit, SNAP, WIC, and Senior FMNP coupons.
According to Tower, the market is a sister project to the Grow Food Northampton Mobile Market.
“This program is different from others because you don’t see mobile markets like this in rural areas,” she said, recalling her experience working in Springfield with the Go Fresh mobile market. “The size and scale are different.”
Fletcher Schneeflock, Hilltown Mobile Market manager, said that Thursday’s sales were good, with 16 shares picked up and another 40 to 45 people buying produce.
Tower said that if all goes well the program will continue in 2020.
“We are already looking for funding sources for next year,” she said.
The project was made possible by a grant from the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office. For more information on the mobile market visit www.hilltownmobilemarket.info.
CUMMINGTON – The public is invited to the 2019 Massachusetts Renaissance Faire on July 27 and 28 and August 3 and 4 at the Cummington Fairgrounds.
The event will include a variety of vendors, activities, games, demonstrations and acrobatic, fire craft and knightly performances.
Bringing the knightly arts to life in the Hilltowns this year are the “Stormy Knights,” a group of men and women, performers, jousters, stage combatants and full contact fighters from all over the country.
Hours are Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sundays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Please note, guests under the age of 18 will not be allowed after 7 p.m. when the “After Dark” adult entertainment begins.
A one-day adult pass is $20 and two-day adult pass is $35. Children ages 6 to 15 are $10 for a day pass and children under 5 are free. Adult two-day passes may not be purchased at the gate. For more information or to buy tickets go to Massrenfaire.com.
PLAINFIELD – Every summer, weeds begin to take over the Plainfield Pond, making swimming difficult, and the public’s help is needed to address the problem.
On Saturday, from 10 a.m. to noon, area residents are invited to join a weed-clearing crew to remove weeds growing in front of the pond’s beach area and along the channel.
Organizers said volunteers can bring a boat or simply a swimsuit as they lend a hand. They also recommend bringing garden rakes and baskets if possible.
Ideas for this column can be sent to Fran Ryan at Fryan.gazette@gmail.com.