Ken Cleveland
HOLDEN — It has been a quarter century or so since the “new” Holden Farmers Market started, providing a later shopping option for those who wanted to shop for fresh produce and local goods after work.
There is a long history of having a farmers market in town, according to one vendor who was herself involved in starting the current farmers market in 1995.
The 25th anniversary of the markets most recent incarnation would have been marked during the first year of COVID, and everyone tends to subconsciously subtract a couple years from their history; nonetheless, the market managed to offer local produce – with social distancing – even during the depths of the pandemic.
“There has been a farmers market in Holden for a good long time,” Jackie Marsh said.
“I believe the original market was held at Chaffin Field on Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.,’ she said. ‘One of our long-term customers remembers attending as early as 1982, pushing her daughter in her stroller.’
“That market subsequently moved to the center of town and used the town hall/ church parking lot for a time. It was in 1995, as a response to some customers’ suggestions that a later market would better serve customers who worked later (until 5 p.m.), that the Tuesday market began,” Marsh said.
“Four vendors, including me, split off from the Thursday market and began a market on Tuesday afternoons. It was, I believe, the first evening market in the state. Now, there are many afternoon markets; we were trend-setters!”
The Thursday market eventually closed, as the Tuesday one became much more popular, although both operated simultaneously for a few years.
“The Tuesday market started on private land when Jack Namiotka kindly allowed us to set up on the lawn of what used to be the Carriage House, next to the Mobil station,” Marsh said.
“We eventually moved onto town property at the Damon House property. The town of Holden has always been very accommodating and encouraging. The management of the market has always been by a vendor who volunteers for that role, starting with me and moving through a series of interested vendors to the current manager, Leslie Kelly.”
The manager is responsible for securing liability insurance, purchased with vendors’ fees from the Massachusetts Farmers Market Association in Waltham. Vendors’ fees also pay for what little advertising the market does.
“We are not sponsored or managed by the town or its Agricultural Commission; we are self-sustaining in that regard. Although we sure do appreciate the lovely town common we have to use and the enthusiastic support of our customers, some from Holden and many who are passing through town on the way home from work,”Marsh said.
Marsh recalled that “so many vendors have come and gone: growers, bakers, crafters, orchards, apiaries, dairies. Our mission is to keep our market as local as possible and as foody as possible.
“One of our biggest draws has always been our bread baker, starting with Five Loaves Bakery from Spencer (now defunct) and … now with Birch Tree Bakery from Worcester. People will wait patiently for a good loaf of bread. And a croissant. And a cookie.”
“Most of the growers at our market, offering strictly local and seasonal produce — no tomatoes until they are in season — are very small farms or avid gardeners who have surplus to share.”
The largest grower currently is Rock Harvest Farm from New Braintree.
“Laura Davis is a great young farmer, and her mom was one of the four vendors who was there at the beginning, although as a baker.”
Linda Davis, Cindy Mason and Joyce Russell, along with Marsh, were the initial vendors in 1995. The vendor who has been at the market the longest, Marsh said, is Hancock Farm from Barre, offering milk, their own soft cheese and ice cream. The farm has been at the market for 20 years.
Another longtime vendor is Leslie Kelly of Sundance Farm in Rochdale, who has “vegetables, an amazing array of plants and succulents, and brings preserves from another farm, too.”
Marsh said she herself participated for the first 15 years, but left for 10 years before returning.
She offered a rundown of some of the vendors and items available every Tuesday through October from 3 to 6 p.m. at 1174 Main St., the corner of Main Street and Route 31, with an entrance on Route 31.
“Besides produce and baked goods, we have a jewelry maker, a blade sharpening expert, alpaca products and alpaca manure tea vendors, all sorts of local grass-fed meats, eggs, dairy, plants and seedlings, hot pepper jellies, an amazing mushroom producer, a CSA share from Rock Harvest Farm if you should want one, micro-greens, homemade soap, ready-made gourmet foods to take home for dinner, live music and, coming soon, Pease Orchard with their apples and peaches. All good stuff.”
The peaches were there just this past week, on Aug. 30, editor Kristen Payson notes. And Birch Tree Bread had a new glazed bacon sweet bun that her family pronounced delicious. Oh, and tomatoes are defnitely in season now.
