NORTHAMPTON — The Grow Food Northampton “Winter Market” this year will feature 10 farmers’ markets over the coming months at the Northampton Senior Center.
Helen Kahn, the farmers market manager at Grow Food Northampton, said “there’s already a lot of enthusiasm” for this Saturday’s market to kick off the season. The following markets will be held on Dec. 4 and 18, Jan. 8 and 22, Feb. 5 and 19, March 5 and 19, and April 2. Each market will start at 10 a.m. and end at 2 p.m.
“Following a successful farmers market season at Tuesday Market, we are happy to continue to provide this valuable resource to the community through the winter months,” Kahn said.
Attendees can anticipate a variety of produce, pies, meat, cheese, eggs, honey, maple products, prepared foods, as well as crafts. Kahn said crafts will include Michelle Hallgren’s handmade jewelry and Liz Hamilton’s greeting cards and holiday ornaments. All vendors and shoppers will be required to wear masks and eating and drinking inside the senior center are prohibited.
“We encourage people to keep a six-foot distance too,” Khan said.
Shoppers this year are encouraged to be mindful of others as they browse, considering that the market might have to regulate how many people can enter at once if it becomes too crowded.
The winter market also is an opportunity for residents who receive SNAP benefits to use money through the program specifically earmarked for fresh produce from local farmers through the Healthy Incentives Program.
In addition to providing SNAP accessibility, Grow Food Northampton will double SNAP benefits up to $10 per shopper at each market. This is part of Grow Food Northampton’s nonprofit mission to build resilient local food systems that benefit the whole community.
Some vendors at the market will include Barberic Farm of Shelburne, Crabapple Farm of Chesterfield, Cricket Creek Farm of Williamstown, Masa Mexicano of Florence, Red Barn Honey Company of Northampton, Red Fire Farm of Granby, Sunrise Farms of Colrain, Sweet Birch Herbals of Ashfield, Twin Oaks Farm of Feeding Hills, and Winter Moon Roots of Hadley.
This Saturday will be “a perfect pre-Thanksgiving market,” Kahn said. “Except for the turkey, you can pick up everything you need.”