Farmers Market opens despite slower growing season

Date: 7/21/2009

By G. Michael Dobbs, Managing Editor

CHICOPEE -- The Chicopee Farmers Market marked its grand opening last week and James Sroka, its manager, said it is getting bigger.

The market, which is sponsored by the Valley Opportunity Council, features fresh produce and baked goods from area farms as well as a variety of non-food products sold by Chicopee residents.

Conducted every Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and located under the Interstate 391 overpass in Willamansett, the market is the only all-weather one in the region it has a roof -- the highway itself.

Sroka said the heavy rainfall and the cooler temperatures hasn't helped local produce and he said that several of the farmers haven't started participating as yet due to the growing seasons.

Jonathan Seay and Jennifer Bemben of Bemben Farm in Hadley said the corn crop "is starting to catch up with the nice weather."

Seay and Bemben offered shoppers butter and sugar corn, which they said, thrives with hot temperatures.

Bruce Darling of Hamilton Orchard in New Salem said the rain has been good for the fall apple crop.

"We're going to have some nice big apples," Darling said.

The rain will also be a benefit for the fall raspberries, he added.

Right now, Hamilton Orchards is offering blueberries and raspberries, besides a variety of baked goods.

Among the non-farm items for sale is homemade candy, jams, as well as jewelry, Avon and Tupperware products and stationary. Sroka said he had handed out three more applications for Chicopee vendors at the market that day.

For more information on the market, call 612-0219.