The Globe has followed up our original pieces (here and here) on the Wellesley Farmers’ Market not happening this spring. The article sheds light on why the market is on hiatus: the market wasn’t bringing in enough business to satisfy some big vendors. Also, market organizers would like to have had more help from the town in promoting the market, but a town official said that isn’t really the town’s job.
Wellesley Farmers’ Market: Not giving up on the Fall or beyond
As we reported a couple weeks back, the Wellesley Farmers’ Market won’t be happening this spring. Various parties associated with the market (Whole Foods, the market manager, Sustainable Wellesley, etc.) didn’t respond to our inquiries at the time (only MassHort did), but now a formal statement has been issued on the market’s status that confirms what we wrote about.
Indeed, there will be no market this spring. However, the market’s backers are plotting a comeback, perhaps as soon as the Fall:
“The Market’s mission is to support local food growers and producers; celebrate seasonal, local, sustainably grown foods; serve the community; lead the local food movement; and join Wellesley’s sustainability movement. The lead volunteers are still committed to this and are thus looking at new location options and sponsors to bring the market back in the Fall or following season.”
The market operated in the Whole Foods parking lot for the past 2 years.
You can follow the Market’s plans on its Facebook page.
Wellesley Farmers’ Market not sprouting this spring
We heard whispers yesterday that the farmers’ market, located in the Whole Foods parking lot May – October for the past two years, would not return for 2014. The Wellesley Farmers’ Market celebrated its grand opening in May of 2012 thanks to a collaboration involving organizations such as Sustainable Wellesley, Whole Foods and Mass Hort, and featured local vendors of organic and other specialty crops.
Among the vendors was Patti Small of On The Edge Knife Sharpening, who says that while the market wasn’t the busiest, she liked selling her products there and enjoyed working with the market manager. “Too bad,” she wrote on Twitter.
A MassHort official confirmed the rumor of the market not being held this spring, saying that a combination of factors led to the decision and that more details would become available after the crazy busy-ness of the Boston Flower show, which runs through Sunday, March 16.
We placed inquiries to Whole Foods and Sustainable Wellesley about the farmers’ market, but did not hear back.
Also of interest…
Genetically Modified Food advocates on the loose in Wellesley?
