Organizers expect the midweek market to bring in a different crowd than the weekend market.
Easthampton sculptor Mark Evald Johnson's work pictured here was on display at Kendrick Park as part of the Amherst biennial last fall. The town will be holding a farmer's market at the park beginning June 15.AMHERST - While the town is looking into funding to develop Kendrick Park, a group of farmers will be selling their wares there Wednesday afternoons, a kind of trial run to see how such a venue works there.
The Cecil Group last month presented a final schematic for the park design and suggested the park be used for picnicking, walking, public gatherings among other uses. And while the 3-acre tract between North and East Pleasant is not suitable for a large market, the site is deemed appropriate for a small market.
So for the first time beginning June 15, the town will host a weekday market to complement its decades-old Saturday Market on the Town Common. This market will provide an opportunity to farmers who can’t get into that market because of the limited space.
A second Saturday market has been established in North Amherst on Saturdays.
The market is being organized by Ware farmer Danya Teitelbaum, who sold greens and other produce at the town’s winter market.
That success in part spirited the establishment of the new Wednesday market, she said. “It definitely paved the way for this. The winter market was a very big success.”
The need here is vast.
“The Amherst consumer market (for local produce) is larger than a couple of hours a week (of the Saturday market,)” she said. “A lot of farmers have been talking about it for a long time.”
The market will run from June 15 through November. Summer hours are 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., closing earlier into the fall.
“It’s very exciting and will be a great addition to the downtown,” said Select Board chairwoman Stephanie J. O’Keeffe. “Local farmers have wanted more venues to share their produce and other farm products, and Kendrick Park seems like an ideal option.”
Town Manager John P. Musante agrees. The additional market “provides access for more Amherst farmers, it’s a great use of Kendrick Park.”
The market will bring people downtown and they get the chance to see how the venue works, he said.
Teitelbaum expects the venue will accommodate about 15 booths. And the market will lure “very different customers (from the Saturday crowd.) We’re really hoping to capture the after school, after work commuting crowd.”
Teitelbaum is currently collecting applications from farmers who want to sell there and preference will be given to Amherst farmers. “They pay (Amherst) taxes. It’s their public park. We’re also acknowledging farming in Amherst is unaffordable for the average farmer.”
Farmers have until Monday to apply. Teitelbaum is also looking for musicians who want to play.
The town will apply for a Parkland Acquisitions and Renovations for Communities grant this summer to help pay for the work to transform the open landscape into a park with walkways, space for performances and a children’s play area among the proposal.