“The neighbors in the area wanted a Farmers’ Market we learned.  It gives people a chance to get out and meet their neighbors as well as buy fresh produce and other items,” said Teresa Velliere, President of the Woodfordscorner.org. this afternoon at the launching of the first Farmers’ Market in the parking lot beside Woodfords Congregational Church.  About 9,000 people live within a l/2 mile area of this intersection.  “We have lots of stores in the area, but one thing we didn’t have is a Farmers’ Market,” she said.  “Now we do.”. The Market runs every Thursday between 3:00 pm – 7:00 pm until October 5th according to Velliere.

From veggies to duck’s eggs to oysters fresh from the New Meadows River to bread made with goats’ milk and more, customers were getting to know these youthful entrepreneurs while they scooped up some of their favorite foods from local gardens, farms and waters not far off.

Trixie Betz and Lily Hanks represented Ferda Farms LLC, a clam and oyster farm in the New Meadows River, Brunswick, owned by Max and Chris Burtis.  Betz, who has recently landed a position as an outreach and developmet specialist with the Maine Agriculture Association  said the Farm has 186 cages with about 350,000 oyster seeds that will take two years to grow to maturity. Hanks, who has a degree in marine science with a concentration in biology, said there is a “low barrier of entry for oyster farms.  It’s a great way to start work on the water.  I love working on the water,” she said.

Betsy McDonald, of the Pocket Farms Collective, a group of residents off Ocean Avenue, are raising vegetables in raised bed gardens. McDonald was selling baby radishes.  She expects later in the growing season to sell carrots, tomatoes and beets.  McDonald and her neighbors heard about this new market and it was an inspiration for this Collective.  “They are moving,” said McDonald of the baby radishes.

A large selection of vegetables and plants were for sale at the organic CSA New Spoke Farm booth, of Gray.  The business owned by Janelle Plummer and Ross Spencer, is located on l/2  acre with potential to expand sometime in the future.  A large selection of vegetables and 7 varities of tomato plants kept these two busy as customers lined up to buy fresh produce from them. Visit www.newspokefarm.com

Jodi Bragdon, of CHIGOBEE Farm, Pownal, was selling numerous items made with goats’ milk in a particularly attractive display of product.  That included bread baked by her husband and made with goat’s milk.  The Farm won first place in fresh cheese category at the Maine Cheese Festival two years ago.  Last year the Farm placed third in the same Festival in Pittsfield.  “My husband bakes the bread and I make cheese,” Jodi said grinning.

Saffron Labos, the farm manager of Marque Green, in South Freeport, was selling chicken and duck eggs at her booth.  She was also selling frozen chickens and meat products.  The farm currently has 1,000 chickens and 100 ducks.  The farm is currently exploring options to expand its capacity with products other than poultry and goats.

There were other equally worthy vendors, but this blogger departed loaded down with produce, ducks’ eggs, baby radishes, and oysters around 5:00 pm  The crowd was thickening at that time as people getting off work began to show-up..

This new Farmers’ Market is open every Thursday from 3:00 – 7:00 pm.  It is open from June 1st until October 5th, 2023.

(This blogger took numerous photographs, but is having difficulty posting them on the blog at this time, unfortunately.)