NORTHAMPTON — Grow Food Northampton (GFN) has announced the return of its Winter Market season, beginning this Saturday and lasting throughout the winter season.
The markets will be held at the Northampton Senior Center located at 67 Conz St., running from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on alternating Saturdays through March 28 of next year. The seasonal market will feature 30 rotating farm, food and herbal vendors, with an additional 14 local artisans joining for the holiday markets.
Shoppers can find a wide array of local products, including produce, honey, cheese, meat, maple syrup, mushrooms, herbal remedies, eggs, breads, pastries, prepared foods and handmade crafts. Live music from performers such as Bruce Colegrove, The Valley Harp Trio and Chris Gentes will be featured on select dates.
A key focus of the Winter Market is serving as a resource for low-income residents. For the month of November, GFN will offer an increased match to shopper’s SNAP benefits, providing $20 in market tokens to EBT cardholders. In December, the match will return to the standard $10 amount. Furthermore, Massachusetts SNAP recipients can utilize the Healthy Incentives Program (HIP) at the market, which provides an additional $40 to $80 monthly for fruits and vegetables purchased directly from local farmers.
Helen Kahn, GFN’s Farmers Market manager, emphasized the market’s community role in a statement announcing this year’s launch of the market.
“The space allows us to host a large diversity of vendors and create a welcoming environment where people can shop, eat, and enjoy live music with friends and family,” Kahn said. “Supporting our local farmers while fostering connections in the community is at the heart of what we do.”
Vendors for the season include a range of local producers such as Crabapple Farm of Chesterfield, Cricket Creek Farm of Williamstown, Red Fire Farm of Montague and many others.
Grow Food Northampton is a non-profit organization located in the city focused on building local food systems. It operates both the Tuesday Market from April through November and the Winter Market from November through March.