Farmer’s Market Repeats Tomorrow (Friday); Area Food Pantries Get A Share of New England Bounty

A perfect July afternoon greeted vendors and customers alike to the opening of the Williams Barn Farmer’s Market last Friday, July 6. This week’s second Groton Farmers Market should see early tomatoes and corn make their first appearance. Last week, peaches, tomatoes and blueberries were in high demand, selling out before the market was over; but the supply should be replenished for tomorrow’s 3-7 p.m. market at the Williams Barn on Chickopee Row.

Smith’s Country Cheese was back, with a new Havarti with dill to sample (yum). A second bakery, La Bella Dolce, from Westford has signed up; it joins Bliss and Bagel Alley to satisfy your carb cravings and sweet tooth. The music will be supplied by Back To The Garden. Tomatoes, early corn, native plants, beets, cukes, squash, frozen meat, herbs, honey and much more awaits. For a list of vendors, check williamsbarn.org.

Last week, Groton Local volunteer Olga Box and I set up the donation table and immediately started receiving contributions. (we’ll be back this week too.) Whiteboard signs informed the public that their donations of produce is delivered every Saturday morning to the Nashua Soup Kitchen and Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry. Last summer, when we started delivering to them, we noticed on their website that they served 1200 meals per week — it’s up to 1700 this year.

Customers shopped and then dropped off change and dollars at our table at the market. As the market began preparing to close, we went about to all the farmers, buying up pounds of zucchini, yellow summer squash, cabbages, garlic and sugar snap peas. The vendors are all so generous, helping spread our money as far as possible. Bagel Alley, always big-hearted, astonished us by presenting eleven bags of bagels!!

On Saturday morning, Groton Local member Anna Barker delivered the bags of produce to the Nashua Soup Kitchen and Pantry. We know that they appreciate every bit that we can contribute. Also on Saturday morning, I delivered five bags of bagels to some very delighted folks at Loaves and Fishes. They confirmed that they have freezer capacity and can take all the breads that we can deliver!

We have such fun at the market and are so happy to support the farmers, and then feed the hungry with the help of all the generous customers. We hope to see you there next week!

The state Massgrown program has a neat interactive map to help you locate food pantries throughout the state (Groton, or course, is listed), at http://bit.ly/LPyXPy — Ed.

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