To the editor:
For many of the members of the Presque Isle Farmers’ Market who generate produce through the summer months, the end of the Market for the year means closing out the fields and gardens, cleaning up debris, and putting away the tools for another season. Some, like Jim Brown, scurry off to other adventures in another state for the winter months while others, like the lovely young women at Hidden Meadows Farm, look forward to quiet time at home. Not all have seasonal retirement in mind, however. Year-round, The Country Bakery has the same delicious baked goods in their bakery/restaurant that Craig and Amy Inniger brought by van on summer Saturdays, plus a whole lot more! Joseph Zook continues to maximize production with high hoops and cool-weather crops; he says customers are welcome to come by his farm this fall for peas, cabbages, onions, squash, jams and jellies among other things. Farmer Mark and Farmer Gloria continue to attract visitors to Goughan’s Berry Farm right through Christmas time, actively seeking new ways to expand their plans for agri-tourism to a year-round enterprise. Natalia Bragg keeps her potions and lotions on the shelf to treat what ails you; classes in “herbology” assemble at Knot II Bragg Farm in the winter months as well. All of the livestock producers go into the fall with well-stocked freezers: Orchard Hill has beef, Sunrise Farm has lamb, Chops Ahoy has pork, and Delphinium Blue Farm has chicken. O’Meara Family Farm already stocks shelves in local supermarkets with dairy products.
It is with mixed emotions that we vendors at the Presque Isle Farmers’ Market pack up one last time and prepare to depart “our” parking spaces at the Aroostook Centre Mall. It will be a pleasure to enjoy a somewhat more sane Friday night and early Saturday without the rush to load up the vehicle and set off to somewhere off-farm. On the other hand, it is with regret that we realize that we will not have the opportunity to visit with our customers regularly over our wares. Our season has traditionally run from Mothers Day weekend to Columbus Day weekend, so it is clearly time to implement Plan B.
Keep checking the Presque Isle Farmers’ Market website — it will soon sport a new page with contact information for vendors who will be pleased to continue to serve you through the winter months. We’ll look for you there!
This column is written by members of the Presque Isle Farmers’ Market. For more information, visit their website at https://sites.google.com/site/presqueislefarmersmarket/home.
