farmers market

On Saturday, April 25 at 8:30 AM, the St. Michaels Farmers Market emerges from a winter rest for its twenty-second season of offering farmer-grown and locally-produced items to the people of Bay Hundred and beyond. With more than fourteen producers displaying their veggies, meats and more in the public parking lot at 204 S. Talbot St., there is always something beautiful and delicious to take home.

Farmers and vendors returning this year include: Spirit Grower Farm, Sand Hill Farms, The Bay Mushrooms, Little Fields Floral, King Berries, Cottingham Farm, Blades Orchard, Windon Distilling (known for their Lyon Rum), and, the springtime favorite, Kreider’s Tomatoes. Shoppers can find meats, eggs, tomatoes, berries, jams, jellies, pastries, cakes, pies and of course fresh-from-the-farm spring vegetables like greens, lettuces and asparagus.

The Market also welcomes its 2020 staff person who makes sure farmers, vendors and customers are all well taken care of. Says the new Market Manger, Amanda Kidd, “I am both honored and excited to serve the prestigious St. Michael’s Farmers Market and all community members. I cannot wait to see what this journey has in store!”

Under Governor Hogan’s Stay at Home order, farmers markets are considered essential operations to ensure communities can have access to safe, healthy foods. “We believe the Farmers Market experience is just as safe or even inherently safer than any big box or chain grocery shopping experience right now,” explains Randy Royer, SMFM President. “It’s simple: You are buying right from the farmer, so there are just fewer hands in the operation. It’s farm to table shopping.”

To ensure that both farmers and Market customers feel comfortable and safe during their visit, the Market is putting several measures in place.

● Both farmers and customers are asked to wear masks for Market.
● Everyone is asked to respect social distancing guidelines, staying six feet apart.
● The first hour of market, 8:30-9:30am, is designated for vulnerable customers.
● Handwashing stations will be a new addition this year – farmers and producers will be provided with sanitizer donated by Windon Distilling .
● Farmers and producers will facilitate all produce and product transactions, providing items to you as you select them.
● Bring your change! Having exact change will be helpful to reduce the handling of money. Electronic payments are even better.

The St. Michaels Farmers Market’s success over the years is largely due to its ‘producer-only’ focus (meaning everything sold at the market is grown or produced by the vendor selling it), high-quality products, volunteer commitment, and its history as a place for people to come together. Although there won’t be any food tastings or eat-in seating for the Market’s opening or in the weeks to come, the spirit of being a vibrant community gathering place is still part of the Market’s intent. As their Facebook page says, “The mechanics of the market are going to look very different for a while, but the SOUL of it won’t change. We are still all about creating opportunities for positively local farmers to connect with positively local shoppers.” You can find weekly updates about SMFM happenings and what’s in season on their Facebook at www.Facebook.com/LoveYourFarmer. You’ll also find an option to sign up for their weekly e-newsletters.

St. Michaels Farmers Market is a non-profit, producer-only market and community gathering place for residents and visitors, that also provides economic opportunities for farmers and food producers, offers local food education and gives everyone access to healthy, fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, eggs and other products.

Don’t miss the latest! You can subscribe to The Talbot Spy‘s free Daily Intelligence Report here

Being surrounded by friendly faces, good food, and people passionate about what they do doesn’t sound like a bad way to spend a Wednesday night, does it? Well, this was the atmosphere created when a local business, local farmers, and the community came together at the recent Sprout’s “Valentines Farmer’s Market”. The Spy stopped by to check it out and learn more about the event.

Sprout is a fast casual, healthy, food company founded in Easton, Maryland, by husband and wife team, Ryan and Emily Groll. Their locally sourced ingredients are a staple of their business, as is supporting local farmers and assuring that their customers know exactly what they’re getting and eating.

Last year, Sprout held a “Farmer’s Appreciation Day” at its Easton location to spotlight the farmers that they are partnered with in the area. Upon opening their much larger St. Michael’s café, the Grolls decided to host an indoor farmers market in December, and another on Valentine’s Day 2020. Sprout is now in the planning stage for a Farmer’s Appreciation Day in April and a weekly indoor farmers’ market beginning in March to be held on a weekday evening.

“We do it for the farmers”, Groll says, “It’s important to create trust and transparency between the customers and the people growing their food.” Sprout doesn’t charge a fee for farmers to participate in the market. Groll says it is a win-win situation because it allows the farmers to market themselves and benefits Sprout by bringing a new crowd of consumers into the cafe to showcast Sprout’s healthy food options.

A farmers’ market is no easy task for the farmers; packing up, driving to the location, setting up, and marketing one’s products is time-consuming work. So why do the farmers choose to participate? According to Jenna Paice from Spirit Growers, an organic eastern shore farmer, it’s about “building relationships and connecting the dots” between the people who eat the food and those that grow it. Taylor Hale, another participant, looks forward to Sprout’s farmer’ markets as an “opportunity to promote his products out of season” and claims that it is a “new market for his spice blends”. Others in attendance, included: Abundant Grace Farms, Federal Brewing Company, Lyon Distilling, among others. According to Groll, Sprout allows all farmers to attend to help grow the local economy and convey a sense of community togetherness.

You may be wondering if an indoor farmer’s market like this is for you. According to Carol Chisholm, a consumer in attendance, there’s no question you’ll love it. She said that Sprout’s indoor market is a great idea as she gestured to the rain and looming, dark clouds in the skies outside the cafe window.

Eating locally sourced, healthy food and knowing where your food has been before it ends up on your plate is a growing trend in the modern food business. It would appear that the Sprout farmers’ markets, in partnership with local farmers and other businesses, is a creative way to increase such understanding and also have a good time.

Georgia Foster is a Spy student journalist. She is a senior at Easton High School and plans to attend Salisbury University in the Fall where she will continue to pursue her interest in journalism.

Opening Weekend for St. Michaels Farmers Market

The Indoor Farmers’ Market From Sprout by Georgia Foster

Sections

More