BRATTLEBORO — The Brattleboro Winter Farmers' Market will open the 2018 season on Saturday, Nov. 3, in a new location.
Having outgrown the old location, the Winter Farmers' Market is looking forward to welcoming market-goers to the C.F. Church Building at 80 Flat St. in downtown Brattleboro.
In a news release, market organizers say this new location offers free, convenient parking, better accessibility, and a more spacious indoor space for a market that is easier to navigate for customers and vendors alike.
The Brattleboro Winter Farmers' Market, open every Saturday from November through March, is the only weekly winter farmers market in the region. Fans of the famous outdoor summer farmers' market in West Brattleboro happily follow many of their favorite vendors indoors.
Most weeks, market-goers will find two dozen or more vendors - new faces and many favorites from past seasons. In addition to fresh produce, maple syrup, local meats, eggs, and other farm products, the market features breads, yummy treats, great lunches, delicious pies, preserves, beautiful handmade gifts, and live local music.
According to the Farmers' Market Coalition, a nonprofit dedicated to strengthening farmers markets across the country, the impact of direct farmer-to-consumer transactions at a market is greater than it might appear on the surface.
Farmers' markets serve as community anchors, positively influencing community health and wealth, resulting in more viable regional economies, increased access to fresh, nutritious food, and stronger social networks that help keep communities healthy.
According to Erin Buckwalter of NOFA-VT, “If each person not currently shopping at farmers markets decided to shop at a market one day a month, that would make a huge difference to our local economy and for farmers' livelihoods.”
The Winter Farmers' Market welcomes debit, credit, and EBT (3SquaresVT) cards. EBT customers can turn $10 into $20 each week with Crop Cash Coupons thanks to NOFA-VT, and a collaborative USDA FINI Grant of several New England states headed by Farm Fresh Rhode Island.