More Farmers Markets Open In Winter

As winter settles in the idea of buying fresh food from local farmers seems like a pipedream. But as WNPR’s Nancy Cohen reports, the number of winter farmers market’s is growing across the country, including in Connecticut.

These aren’t markets that only open for the winter holiday season. But ones that operate all the way through April. In 2009 there were three winter markets in the state. Now there are at least 8. Nicole Berube is Executive Director of City Seed that runs two outdoor markets in New Haven. One of which is new this year

“People’s appetite for local food doesn’t dissipate at the end of October, at the end of the traditional harvest season. “

And some farmers don’t want to stop selling their products. Like meat and eggs, potatoes and apples. Rick Macsuga from the Connecticut Department of Agriculture recalls the first winter market that opened four years ago.

“It was really, really, really beneficial to guys that actually have production year round and instead of worrying about where they were going to move this product they had that site all set to go. And customers responded very well.”

Macsuga says there are a few farmers who grow hydroponic lettuce in water in the winter. Or vegetables right in the ground, in greenhouses, where the produce is covered with blankets at night

“I’ve actually had a grower say I’m going to scale back on my vegetable production in the summer and concentrate it in the winter where he has absolutely no competition. But that’s not the norm, but there is some thinking like that.”

Macsuga says winter markets aren’t for all farmers. He says many want a break after the long days of the fall harvest.

For WNPR, I’m Nancy Cohen.