Swampscott Farmers' Market Enjoys Big Week

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Swampscott Farmers’ Market organizers last week posted a question on the market’s blog and Facebook page: “Where are our patrons?”

Well, at least on Aug. 2, they were at the farmers’ market.

“We had a great day!” Swampscott Recreation Director Danielle Strauss said. “It was very well-attended. I think with some of the bad attention, it got people to come back.”

The farmers’ market falls under the jurisdiction of the town’s recreation department, but there are several individuals in addition to Strauss who volunteer their time to make it happen. Last Sunday just happened to be Strauss’ week to serve as the market manager and she was quite pleased with what she saw.

Strauss said that at least one customer told her he’d been driving by and noticed the market, while several others said they just needed to be reminded that it was taking place each week at Swampscott High School.

The market kicked off its fourth summer with a stellar week in terms of attendance, Strauss said. But a perfect storm of events struck the next several weeks with a rainy week two (the market did take place under those rainy skies), a “monsoon” that canceled the market on week three and then events such as July 4 weekend and summer vacation season.

“I think people just got out of the habit of remembering to come to the farmers’ market,” Strauss said. “People get out of the habit, and it’s easy to just go to the beach.”

Market organizers heard from multiple social media commenters that reminders to attend the market would be helpful, so Strauss said they handed out lawn signs at the Aug. 2 market and asked customers to put them in the front yards. Strauss also used an electronic sign last week to encourage attendance and plans are in place to begin emailing reminders about the market, along with a list of that week’s vendors, to customers who sign up on the mailing list.

Strauss said that the market’s vendors alerted organizers that attendance seemed to be a bit down of late, but none seemed particularly panicked.

“Our regular vendors that have been with us every year, they know there are peaks and valleys,” Strauss said, adding that the four farmers who regularly attend the market related that they did “exceptionally well” at the Aug. 2 market.

Strauss said she has heard from some residents that the market is too expensive, and she understands that the prices are perhaps a bit higher than what they would be at a typical grocery store.

“You pick and choose what is important to you,” Strauss said. “To me, it’s important to get a nice tomato, fruit, vegetables. I always buy pickles and I can’t pass by Swiss Bakers without getting something too. It’s just too good.”

The farmers’ market will continue to operate weekly on Sundays from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at Swampscott High School until the end of October. A special pre-Thanksgiving market will take place indoors at the high school on Nov. 22.