The farmers' market will be open Thursdays, from 3 to 7 p.m., through mid-October at the First Church of Monson on High Street.
06.16.2011 | MONSON - Crystal M. Rondeau, of Monson, buys tomato plants from Brimfield's Little Rest Farm at the First Church of Monson's Farmers' Market on Thursday. She will plant them for some friends who lost their house to the June 1 tornado.MONSON - Crystal M. Rondeau was at the Farmers' Market at the First Church of Monson on Thursday to buy vegetables and fruit to plant in a garden for some friends whose Washington Street home was destroyed in the tornado two weeks ago.
The friends, Tony and Faith Esposito, have relocated to a home on Stafford Road with a garden, so Rondeau bought some tomato and pepper plants at the market -- "things that might help them with grocery bills this summer," she said.
"I'm going to surprise them and plant a garden," Rondeau explained.
She said she is "thrilled" the market is back, and wanted to visit to support it.
The tornado, which ravaged parts of Monson on June 1, caused the First Church to postpone its new farmers' market for two weeks, as members and volunteers were busy coordinating volunteer and relief efforts in damaged neighborhoods.
The market was back Thursday, and will remain open on Thursdays through mid-October, from 3 to 7 p.m.
In addition to fresh produce, there are baked goods, garden sculptures, candles and goat's milk soap.
Ted Sisley, who is coordinating volunteer efforts at the church and is one of the farmer's market managers, said they are happy to have it back. A delivery of food was made to the seniors who live at the Colonial Village senior housing on State Street. One of the buildings there was condemned after the tornado due to damage.
Without the Adams IGA supermarket, the farmers' market is helping to supply a need for fresh groceries, Sisley said. The market lost part of its roof and had its windows blown out during the storm. It is not expected to reopen until late August.
The farmer's market had approximately $2,500 in donations, some of which was used to fund the food for the seniors, Sisley said.
"They had an awful time at Colonial Village. They were blocked off for days," he said.
Sisley was sporting a "Monson Unites" T-shirt, a takeoff on the term "Monsonite." The shirts are being sold for $20 at the church and all proceeds are going toward disaster relief efforts.
The farmers market was initiated by the church's outreach group, Angels Food Ministry, and has a website, www.monsonfarmersmarket.org. The market accepts WIC, SNAP food stamps and elders' coupons.