Home » Pennington Farmers Market Begins 10th Season

Pennington Farmers Market Begins 10th Season

by MercerMe Staff

The Pennington Farmers Market (PFM) will begin its 10th season on May 26, 2018. Open every Saturday from 9am to 1pm through the middle of November, Pennington Farmers Market attracts hundreds of visitors each week, who come to purchase local produce, sample the wares of local artisans, and listen to local musicians.

The foundation of the market is formed by neighborhood farms – Chickadee Creek Farm, Beechtree Farms, Hopewell Valley Vineyard and John Hart Farms – all long-time participants, and includes many other customer favorites.  The Market is located on the lawn in front of Rosedale Mills at 101 Route 31 North in Hopewell Township (at the intersection with Titus Mill Road).

Supporting local agriculture is an important part of the mission of the PFM, with four farms from right here in the Hopewell Valley and others from just a few miles away. This season Marchese Family Farm will be bringing their fresh cold-pressed juice blends; Long Note Farm will be sharing the honey produced by their hard-working bees; and Nine Acre Farm will brighten the market when their sunflowers start blooming in July.

PFM is also partnering with the Hopewell Valley Arts Council to support local artists. Each week the HV Arts Council tent at the market is a showcase for the work of local potters, painters, jewelers, and other creative people.

Local musicians perform at the other end of the market from 10am to noon. Guy DeRosa & Phil McAuliffe will kick off the season on May 26. Nonprofit organizations can be found each week in the market’s “Community Tent”.

PFM is run by a volunteer board. Each member takes on a task, such as scheduling musicians or organizing the Annual Peach Festival Bake Off, and pitches in wherever help is needed. Co-chairs Eileen Heinzel and Kate Fullerton are enthusiastic about the coming season.

“Thanks to the energy and inventiveness of our board members, our community partners, and our small staff, a wonderful array of products, entertainment, and learning opportunities come together on the lawn at Rosedale every Saturday morning,” Fullerton said.

“This is a true community effort,” said Heinzel.  “Our vendors tell us it is their favorite market because of the friendly interaction among vendors, customers and staff.”

Market Manager and Vendor Coordinator Jenn Geoghan is proud of the line up of farmers and craft persons appearing at the Market. “You will find organic vegetables, grass-fed meats, locally made ice cream, award-winning wine, handcrafted soaps, bouquets of flowers and more this year at the Market,” Geoghan noted. Vendors are drawn from within a 50-mile radius of Pennington and are generally limited to selling products that they raised or made themselves. Anyone interesting in becoming a vendor can reach Geoghan at [email protected].

Many customers combine their visit with a stop inside Rosedale Mills to pick up the rest of the supplies they need for their pets, livestock, lawns and gardens.  “We are so grateful to the Hart Family and Rosedale Mills for hosting our market,” said Jess Niederer, who is both a vendor and a member of the Farmers Market’svolunteer board.  “Their hospitality and support is an essential element of the success of our market.”

The Hopewell Valley Green Team is at the market on the last Saturday of the month collecting materials that you should not be putting in your curbside recycling bin, including #5 plastics, styrofoam egg cartons, wine corks, DVDs, and more.

To keep up on which vendors and musicians to expect at the Market each week, sign up for the weekly email blast by sending a message to [email protected]. You can also visit the market’s website PenningtonFarmersMarket.org, like it on Facebook, or see its latest photos on Instagram.

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