This Sunday, June 5, the will open, ushering in this year’s harvest season and signs of summer.
Nineteen vendors will set up shop on the field at selling a variety of vegetables and fruits as well as specialties like beef, honey, jams and jellies.
“We have a great selection if it’s something they want, it’s at the market,” said Stuart Woronecki, Market Master of the Denison Farm Market
All of the vendors are in-state producers including local favorites Davis Farm, Groton Family Farm and .
“We have some of the best farmers,” Woronecki said, noting that Whit Davis of Davis Farm is one of the oldest working farms in the country.
The Denison Society began the farmers market but over the past several years it has grown into its own. Vendors, pay a $150 fee for the season. The funds go to the maintenance of the market spot, publicity and advertising.
“It pays for it self with money left over,” Woronecki said.
Still Woronecki says the market is looking to grow and needs to beef up is customer base. Woronecki hopes this year to make the market more than just about fresh local food.
The market wants to hold several events such as an adopt-a-dog day and is looking for local artists who want a free place to display their work on various Sundays throughout the season.
Of course the fresh, local food is still the main attraction. This year the market is hoping to plan days with chefs at the market perhaps even Mark Shadle of the G Monkey Mobile a sustainable food truck that cooks all vegetarian dishes.
“Mark is trying to change how people view food,” Woronecki said.
This is the first season they will offer Friends of the Market pins were for $10 for the season a customer is entitled to a discount of at least $1 off at least one item at each vendor. Woronecki said it’s a concept that has been successful at other markets.
“The prices are slightly higher than a supermarket but significantly less than organic,” Woronecki, said. “But the majority of our vendors uses organic practices.”
Like the Mystic Farmers Market and Stonington Farmers Market the Denison Market accepts checks from the WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) and Senior FMNP. The program provides low-income residents with checks that can be uses to purchased on unprepared goods from a farmers market.
The Denison Farm Market is trying to tap into the tourist market especially the rental market as many families arrive for the week on Sunday making the market a perfect place for them to stop and pick up their vegetables and fruits for the week.
“The problem is they don’t know about it,” Woronecki said.
Woronecki estimated about two-thirds of the market customers each week are regulars and the rest are new.
“This market is not like other markets it’s more like a family,” Woronecki said.
The Denison Farm Market begins on Sunday, June, 5, 2011. The market runs every Sunday at the Denison Homestead from noon to 3 p.m. until the last Sunday in October. Nineteen vendors from around Connecticut signed up for this year’s market. There will be a special market day in November on the Sunday before Thanksgiving.
