When State Representative John Keenan rings the market’s bell at 3 p.m. on Thursday, June 14, in Derby Square, the fourth season of the Salem Farmers’ Market will officially open, for a bigger and better market. With over 10 new vendors the market will be held on Front Street in Salem, MA every Thursday from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. until December 20.
Opening day will set the tone for the volunteer-run market that, over the next seven months, will bring members of the public to buy farm-fresh produce, meats, baked goods, cheeses, custom-made art and jewelry and a variety of other goods.
Aside from offering a great variety of fruits, vegetables, and other items the Salem Market has free demonstrations and music weekly. On opening day, Chef Tony Bettencourt, of 62 Restaurant and Wine Bar, will do a cooking demonstration at 3:30 p.m., and “Qwill” will provide live music from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
“The market is a community market, it offers fresh, local produce and other goods and is also an enjoyable gathering place with live music and weekly demonstrations,” Salem Main Street Manager and organizer of the market Jennifer Bell said, adding that the 2011 market season brought an attendance of well over 44,000. “We continue to ask residents what they would like at the market and the farmers’ market committee added new vendors in response. People will find a greater variety of items at the market this year and be able to get more items than ever before,” Bell said.
A complete list of the 33 vendors can be found below – there’s bound to be something for everyone that comes to our farmers’ market from The Soup Guy, who offers 100 percent gluten-free soup, to Pan A’vignon Bakery, offering fresh, delicious bread. This year we welcome twelve new vendors.
Returning vendors from the 2011 season include the following farms:
- Clark Farm
- First Light Farm
- Gibney Gardens
- Maitland Mountain Farm
- Grant Farm
- Heaven’s Harvest Certified Organic Farm
- Long Hill Orchard
- Wally’s Vegetables
- Cape Cod Chowder
- Living With Pets
- Milk & Honey Green Grocer
- Rowand’s Seafood
- Rowell Fishing Company (the Danvers lobsterman)
- Salem Soapworks.
- Still River Winery
- Sweet Adeline’s
- Unique Designs by Liza
- When Pigs Fly
- Seacoast Butters
- Shady Oaks Organics Mushrooms
- Valicenti Organico Pasta
- Aster B Flowers (fresh cut flowers)
- Groton, MA based John Crow Farm (vacuum sealed frozen meats, beef, pork, lamb, goat and poultry).
- Taza Chocolates
- Mill River Winery (a variety of wines including Plum Island White, 2011 Riesling and Zinfandel)
- Northeast Arc Artists, a group of artisans who specialize in on-site custom made jewelry
- Pan A’vignon Bakery
- Patty’s Guacamole
- Soluna Gardens Tea – offering certified organic herb, spice and tea blends
- Supernaturals (jewelry)
- Sweet Lydia (chocolate covered pretzels, gourmet marshmallows and smores)
- The Soup Guy
- Wolf Meadow Cheese (fresh mozzarella, scamorla, caciocavallo and ricotta).
 As with previous years – and for the consumers’ convenience, the farmers’ market will continue to take electronic benefit cards (EBT) through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). To get the latest updates about the farmers’ market, follow us on Facebook by typing in “Salem Farmers Market” and Twitter, our handle is @salemfarmersmarket. Through the generous support of Mayor Kimberley Driscoll, the City of Salem, numerous volunteers and members of the Salem Farmers’ Market Committee, this farmers’ market is made possible. As always, we are looking for volunteers to help, should individuals or groups be interested, please contact Salem Main Streets Manager Jennifer Bell via email at sfm@salemmainstreets.org.