Berkshire Grown Holds Winter Farmers' Markets
 Berkshire Grown is hosting two winter farmers' markets this year in Great Barrington. |
GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — Berkshire Grown is hosting two deep-winter farmers' markets this year, an indication of the growing interest in local produce no matter the season.
"I am in suspense about this Saturday's winter farmers' market," Berkshire Grown Executive Director Barbara Zheutlin said, with excitement in her voice when asked earlier this week whether she is still enthusiastic about Berkshire farmers' markets.
"And, yes. We are having fresh produce."
Berkshire Grown began presenting after-season farmers' markets just before Thanksgiving in 2009 with a grant from the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources and the cooperation of other local entities including Williams College, Mezze Restaurant Group and Slow Food of Western Massachusetts.
At that time, Zheutlin said "Berkshire Grown's goal for the holiday markets is to develop new opportunities in the Berkshires for farmers and producers to increase sales of locally produced and preserved agricultural products."
Hundreds of Berkshirites attended those first two late-fall markets in Great Barrington and Williamstown.
Over these six years, interest and participation by farmers and market customers has burgeoned.
"The Berkshire Grown Holiday Farmers’ Markets in November were our most successful to date, with 1,434 shoppers in Great Barrington and 1,610 in Williamstown," she said after the Thanksgiving market in November.
After the piles of farm fresh-picked roots and sturdy greens, crisp apples, juicy Seckel and other pears, pies, breads, cheeses, honeys, cold cuts/charcuterie, cookie bits, preserves and lemon curd, local apple cider syrup and vinegar, sauces, dips and grilled sausages at the Thanksgiving and Holiday markets last year, I'm eager to taste this new year's offerings, shop and immerse myself in Berkshire Grown's expansion and experiment, their first deep winter farmers' market.
Maynard Farms is bringing apples and pears from Ulster Park, N.Y. The owners told Zheutlin they might be bringing celery root, onions and squashes — if they haven't already sold them this week.
MX Morningstar Farm will bring carrots, potatoes, radishes and turnips from Copake, N.Y. Trusted Roots Farm is coming from East Chatham, N.Y., with beets, carrots and potatoes. And, maybe, cabbage and Delicata squash — the kind of winter squash whose tender skin you can eat.
"Another great one is Wildstone Farm," Zheutlin said.
Wildstone is a small organic farm in Pownal, Vt., that, Zheutlin said, is celebrating its 25th anniversary as a certified organic farm. It will have root vegetables and hardy greens like kale.
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In addition to produce, the market is featuring farm products available year-round.
"We have all these cheeses," Zheutlin said. "Berkshire Wildflower will be bringing their eggs, garlic, honey and beeswax skincare products."
Carr's Ciderhouse will come from Hadley with apple cider syrup and vinegar. Berkshire Mountain Bakery of Housatonic and Pittsfield will have breads and its very popular croissants. Matt's Cookies of Pittsfield will offer its latest gluten-free cookies.
Studious Bakers, a new business from Pittsfield, will offer baked goods for the first time at Berkshire Grown's market.
There will be beef from Elmartin Farm in Cheshire and Skyview Farm in Sheffield. Square Roots Farm in Lanesborough will bring pastured pork and chicken, "and some organic veggies," Zheutlin said.
The Berkshire Co-op Market will have yummy tastes of some of its prepared foods, as usual.
New participants include SoCo Creamery and Caroline's Shortbread with tastes and cookies. Maybe some of their wonderful shortbread crumbs, as well.
Sean Stanton will bring his homemade sausages as usual and grill them for lunch outside the back door.
A saxophonist and a trombone musical group will entertain shoppers and there will be lots of activities for children supervised by Jennies Schwartz through The Nutrition Center's Food Adventures program. There will even be a professional paper artist teaching origami and cut paper for the kids.
"We don't raise money for Berkshire Grown projects at the farmers' markets," Zheutlin said. "Farmers' markets are about generating income for farmers and local food producers directly."
And so they are. And wonderful local products, more and more year round for the rest of us.
Tags: Berkshire Grown, farmers market,
