ter a brief delay, the Medway Farmer’s Market opened on July 23rd, at Choate Park. The market will run every Thursday afternoon from 4p.m -7p.m, through September. 

“Our initial plan was (to open) June 18,” says Allison Dempsey, of the Medway Farmer’s Market. After consulting with Medway Parks and Recreation, going along with guidance from the state, Dempsey says, “We decided to go with July.”

Choate Park, she says, is set up nicely to allow one way traffic, with one entrance and exit. 

Market vendors are looking forward to providing fresh, local products. The Market will feature local farms, crafters, creators and small businesses.

Vendors attending the 2020 Medway Farmer’s Market 

• Simply Simple Farm, Medway, Mass. (http://simplysimplefarm.com/)

• Confectionary Creations, North Attleboro (www.confectionarycreations.com)

• MAY Hosta Collection, Franklin, Mass., (on Facebook at “MAY Hosta Collection”)

• The Bird and Bear Collective, Medway, Mass. (www.birdandbearcollective.com) 

• Medway Community Farm, Medway, Mass., (www.medwaycommunityfarm.org)

• Bearded Ginger Workshop, Medway, Mass. (on Facebook under “The Bearded Ginger Workshop”)

• The Letter Hutch, Medway, Mass. (on Facebook at “theletterhutch”)

• Pure Haven, Roberta Wellman, Medway resident, representative, (www.purehaven.com)

• Scout and Cellar, wine representative Medway resident, Amanda (www.scoutandcellar.com)

• Fairmount Fruit Farm, Franklin, Mass., (www.fairmountfruitfarm.com)

• C&C Ice cream, Norfolk, Mass., (www.cncicecreamtruck.com)

• Eric’s Sharper Edge (knife-sharpening), Franklin, Mass. (find on Facebook at “Eric’s Sharper Edge”)

Every vendor booth will be spread out in a socially distant set up, with hand sanitizer stations. Patrons are asked to wear a facial mask/covering. “The safety and well-being of our community members is of the upmost importance to us,” says Dempsey, adding that shoppers will be encouraged NOT to touch products, including flowers or food, instead viewing selections and then asking vendors for the items. This is a change from the normal Farmers’ Market procedure, Dempsey says, but she adds, “We look forward to providing the community a place to shop locally, while supporting our amazing vendors.”

Dempsey also planned, at press time, to put together a database of vendors, encouraging visitors to the market to patronize these businesses outside of the farmers’ market. She hopes patrons will “continue to talk to our farmers, when shopping, only getting what you need and getting home, but then going deeper. One of our philosophies with the Medway market was to build a community and give people a place to shop. We don’t want to lose that character, but want to have a balance.”

 Medway Farmers’ Market is open at Choate Park on Thursday afternoons, from 4-7 p.m. For safety, shoppers are asked to wear masks, provided with sanitation stations and encouraged to ask for rather than touch items. Photo used courtesy of Medway Farmers’ Market

The database she plans to provide, she says, will allow those who don’t want to wear a facemask with another option, perhaps making arrangements with a particular vendor for box pickup. The database will be posted on the Town of Medway social media and the Medway Farmer’s Market Facebook page.

The Medway Farmers Market page on Facebook has also been posting profiles of its 2020 vendors. You can learn more about these farms and their stories on the page.