May - The North Star Monthly

24 MAY 2010 THE NORTH STAR MONTHLY
Market Musings
The market opens for the 2010 season
BY JANE WOODHOUSE
The sacrifice of last
year’s farming season
fades as growers move forward
into what might be a
banner year in the garden.
Early warm temperatures
contrast last year’s season
that simply wouldn’t start.
Work is made easy in a year
blessed with cooperation
not conflict. It is a rare year
when northeast Vermont
does not see heavy snow
fall.
The warmth of this March
has been welcomed by all farmers
who have waited patiently
for the season to begin. Of
course for most, the season has
started and is in full swing as
the opening day of market season
approaches. The Caledonia
Farmers Market will move to its
outdoor spot in St. Johnsbury
on Pearl Street behind Anthony’s
Diner. Festivities begin
on May 15 at 9 a.m. Old friends
will reappear armed with produce
and other handmade
goods. Plants in the form of
perennials, herb and vegetable
starts, small fruits, and fruit
trees will be available at market.
One would expect the
weekly offering of produce to
expand rather quickly this year.
It is hard to imagine that this
warm spring will not continue
giving life to new vegetable
seeds and plants. Celebration is
in the air. And quiet mutterings
of “it’s about time,” can be
heard.
It is not too late for farmers
to change plans and take a
chance on crops that require
sun and warmth in order to
thrive. A decision to risk a field
of melons will not be unexpected.
This may be “the year!”
But risk it is. We can expect another
six weeks of frost. While
not welcome, a hard frost is
possible. Certainly it would be
hard to risk a planting of frostfree
crops in the field early. But
if weather continues a plant set
out in late May will take right
off as it inhales the warmth of
Summer 2010. Last year these
plants stalled in the cold, damp
air of June and lost their vigor.
It is likely that opening market
will see more produce as the
current month is perfect for
starting greens for salads and
cooking. Who is not craving a
fresh garden salad? But unlike
last year, there is promise of the
season gaining speed early this
summer.
Customers will return to
market as they visit their old
and steady friend. It is a ritual
of spring to return year and
year. But each year is a new discovery
and this year’s offering
will have a character of its own.
The Wednesday market, on
the green in Danville, opens
June 2 at 9 a.m.
Market association meets
Members of the Caledonia Farmers Market Association
(St. Johnsbury Farmers’ Market and Danville
Farmers’ Market) met Monday April 12 for their annual
spring meeting. More than 40 vendors attended the gathering,
held in the South Congregational Church in St.
Johnsbury, to discuss the approaching season. The St.
Johnsbury market will open Saturday, May 15 and
Danville’s market begins Wednesday, June 2.
Curt Sjolander of Wheelock, the association’s treasurer, said
that the market sales for 2009 were $364,999 with roughly two
thirds coming from St. Johnsbury and one third from Danville.
This is a 15 percent increase from 2008. Membership in the association
has averaged around 50 vendors and there is a waiting
list for new vendors.
After considerable discussion, board members were directed
to investigate all aspects of changing the Danville event from a
morning market to a late afternoon market for 2011. Vendors will
decide whether to change the time of this market at the fall meeting.
Sjolander announced that the association now has its own
website
(http://sites.google.com/site/caledoniafarmersmarket/)
where people can track news about the markets and get information
about individual vendors. Both markets are also now on
Facebook.
Ken Mundinger of Danville and Dot Burrington of West
Danville were reelected on the board of directors. Other directors
include Sharon Eustace of St. Johnsbury, Tom Markewinski of
Danville, Elizabeth Everts of Barnet and Amanda Legare of
Cabot. Everts co-manages the market with Sjolander.
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