The Granville Farmer’s Market will feature more than 20 vendors. (Photo from Danny Nason)
GRANVILLE – For the second year in a row, the hilltown communities will have a farmer’s market right in their local area to buy a variety of products and support local farmers.
Having first launched on Mother’s Day of 2017, the Granville Farmer’s Market is set to begin their second season on Sunday, July 1. The markets will take place every Sunday from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. until September 2 at the Gran-Val Scoop on Granby Road.
The days and times this year differ from last year when the market was on the second and fourth Sundays of the month and went from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Jess Ripley and Nicole Berndt, who are managing the farmer’s market together, said that they realized last year that a lot of people were already home between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. on Sundays. They believe their new time change will only benefit the market.
“It also gives people a chance to come to market before they have their plans made for the day,” said Ripley.
The two women also noted that a lot of people in the area go to church around 10 a.m. on Sundays, and now they’ll have the opportunity to head to the farmer’s market right after church.
The 2017 Granville Farmer’s Market had 11 vendors and this year there will be more than 20 vendors ready for July 1.
“We have a lot more people wanting to come which is great,” said Ripley.
The vendors are all from the local area with most from Granville, Southwick, Westfield, and Sandisfield. The vendors include Frosted Swirl, Trotwood Acres, Villa Mia, Mountain Orchards, Black Rabbit Farm, B’s Breads, Maple Corner Farm, Wishing Well Farm, Chew Bones, and more. The products that will be available to the public will include cupcakes, Italian and Albanian food, honey, English muffin bread, rabbit, farm to freezer meals, nectarines, goat milk soap, tea, pottery, and dog bones.
Ripley and Berndt also stressed the importance of wanting more produce vendors. Currently, the market is lacking produce and they certainly have more space for any interested produce vendors.
“That’s a lot of what people are looking for,” said Berndt.
Besides the wide variety of local products that people have the chance to purchase, there will also be live music at every farmer’s market.
Ripley also discussed the importance of a CSM (Community Supported Market). During the 10 weeks of the Granville Farmer’s Market, the public is allowed to get a share each week. A share consists of a membership or subscription that can cost up to $30 a week. In return, customers will receive a bag or basket or products and produce from the market.
“The idea of the CSM is to promote local and support local,” said Ripley. “They (community) get the best of the market.”
Ripley added that each week for the CSM is a theme. People can also get a dry good coupon, which gives them money to use towards one of the craft vendors at the market. Pick up for the CSM each week is between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. In order to be part of this, people need to pre-register before July 1, by contacting Ripley or Berndt on the Facebook page or emailing them at [email protected].
The two Granville residents have put in a lot of effort and time to have this farmer’s market for a second season and want to see it succeed, but they need a strong support from the community in order to keep it going.
“We need people to know how important it is,” said Ripley. “If people want this market, they need to support this market.”
