Close your eyes and imagine. Rather than pushing a metal cart down the linoleum aisles of a big box grocery store, let Lifestyle take you on a wander through Westfield’s Thursday afternoon Farmers’ Market, instead. It’s a downtown spread of locally grown, locally made products set on the lawn in front of Westfield’s elegant Church of the Atonement.
The experience is downright epicurean, and we doubt you’ll walk away empty handed.
Let’s start with produce. One of the first booths you’ll see is Pignatare’s Farm, offering a two-table cornucopia of crisp vegetables and sweet, Pioneer Valley fruits. Nearby, AeroGreen Urban Farm of Southwick sells chemical-free, hydroponically grown salad mixes and microgreens. Plan an exotic omelet made with Pitchfork Farm’s duck, goose, and chicken eggs. Or think about Sunday pancakes drizzled with Sweet City syrup, homemade by a Chicopee minister.
Next, visitors can tear into a loaf of Berkshire Mountain Bakery’s San Francisco sour dough. Those who tilt toward decadence might choose the Bread and Chocolate boule, instead - it’s a crusty round stuffed with dark chocolate chunks, excellent served warm with butter.
Hungry guests will agonize over whether to order Spicy Thai Fries or Crab Rangoon at Agawam’s Thai Chili food truck (hint: get both, then bring home vegetable dumplings and a Bankok bowl for supper). Chase that snack with a stack of Doce Mercer’s buttery shortbread cookies, or show your love by buying their adorable, heart-shaped whoopie pies.
All goodies taste better eaten at a shaded picnic table near live music. Thanks to the Westfield Cultural Council, the Farmers’ Market boasts a continuous lineup of local performers lifting the air with bluegrass, oldies, originals, and blues.
Of course, the Westfield Farmers’ Market isn’t just about food. It’s also a dynamite place to find gifts not available through mega-corporation.com. Early holiday shoppers will find pressed wildflower jewelry by Be Kind Anyway, dried lavender products from Blandford’s Meadow Burn Farm, gorgeous wooden spoons and bright baby toys from Ludlow’s Ishkabbile Crafts, and an array of sterling jewelry from Crystal Clear Emotions.
We can’t list every booth and product here, but www.westfieldfarmersmarket.org keeps a rundown of all vendors and performers filling each week’s booths. Check it out, since ample parking, farm fresh produce, SNAP and HIP benefits, and handcrafted gifts will continue every Thursday afternoon through October 14. After that, the market will slip into hibernation till next June.
Finally, if you love supporting local producers, please consider volunteering. The Westfield Farmers’ Market is a cooperative kinship between area residents and the Church of the Atonement – and it’s run entirely by volunteers. Plus, signing up for a 2.5 hour shift means more than a free t-shirt. Volunteers meet new people, see old friends, and make our city a better place.
“We have a nice variety of crafters, food vendors, and fresh baked goods,” Mary Kadomoto, the market’s manager, said. “It’s easy access, and it’s fun to support local agriculture.”
“As the saying goes,” she pointed out, “No farms, no food.”
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Suggested pull quotes:
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The experience is downright epicurean, and we doubt you’ll walk away empty handed.
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“It’s fun to support local agriculture.”
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Mary Kadomoto, Westfield Farmers’ Market
