Dudley Farmers Market Open for Summer Months
The warm weather months-and fresh fruits and vegetables-bring the opening of the highly anticipated Dudley Farm Summer Farmer's Market. The market will be open on the corner of routes 77 and 80 every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. from now until
Oct. 27.
"We're very excited about this year," said Market Master Phyllis Naples-Valenti. "We have wonderful vendors, wonderful customers?It's just like going home."
Naples-Valenti has sought out farmers and vendors to suit a variety of choices. Market-goers can expect to find local and organic vegetables and fruits, baked goods, eggs, handmade art and crafts, honey and maple syrup, jams and jellies, naturally raised meat, pickles, and much more.
Both Naples-Valenti and market organizer Janet Dudley found two new produce vendors in the off season: Killam & Bassette of South Glastonbury will offer fruit, vegetables, herbs, jams, pickles, sauce, and relish and Susan Willis of Killingworth will provide organic seasonal vegetables (including shallots and garlic), eggs, and flowers, as well as some fruit.
The market master is thrilled to include two new meat vendors. John Iovieno of Higganum will have black Angus beef and pork and John and Barbara Hammarlund of North Guilford will bring their naturally raised beef.
"It's very exciting because getting a big grower to come is not an easy thing to do on a Saturday morning-everybody's doing multiple markets, so it's exciting because people are requesting to come now and that's a good thing," Naples-Valenti said.
Farm products aren't the only things visitors should look forward to. Naples-Valenti said the craft vendors are a multitalented group that brings jewelry, bowls, artwork, and furniture to the Saturday event.
Dudley Farm Farmer's Market has been in operation for about 20 years. When the market first opened, only about six vendors attended-bakers and vegetable and fruit growers. Since then, the summer event has grown tremendously and has even become a popular social outing.
Typically the market will be open rain or shine, unless the weather is considered to be a danger to residents and vendors. In the case of rain, the market is held in the Munger Barn.
Special events are also offered throughout the months of the market. On June 9, North Guilford native Beth Scranton Payne spoke to the crowd about her recent involvement with the Peace Corps. As a retired registered dietitian, Scranton Payne spent more than two years in Africa and worked with the National Nutrition Agency and the local Gambian people. She returns on Saturday, June 16 at 10:30 a.m.
For those working and attending the farmer's market, it's an experience to meet with old friends to buy local produce and support Guilford agriculture.
"You get a chance to visit with people in North Guilford. We have a lot of customers who are regulars who come, particularly after the winter market," Dudley said. "You see those people once a month during the winter, so it's nice when the market gets back into full swing and you see people regularly again?It's almost like everybody's coming out of hibernation."
For more information about the market, call 203-457-0770 or stop by at 2351 Durham Road on Saturdays during market hours.