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| By G. Michael Dobbs Managing Editor SPRINGFIELD The Commonwealth leads the nation in direct marketing of agricultural products, according to State Commissioner Douglas Gillespie of the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources. Gillespie made the remark while visiting an example of that direct marketing the Farmers Market at Tower Square Park on Friday. The visit was part of Gillespie's on-going effort to support the state's farmers. Before addressing the visitors to the weekly market on Main Street, Gillespie explained to Reminder Publications that although the number of farms continue to decrease in the state, the rate has slowed down considerably from the 1980s and 1990s. He said that as long as farmers can make "a good living," the temptation to sell their land for housing development can be resisted. Gillespie has spent his life in commercial agriculture and raises sheep with his family on a farm in Weston. Learning to market directly to consumers something he does himself has allowed the 6,000 Bay State farms to stay economically afloat. And markets such as the ones in Springfield there are three each week in the city have allowed farmers to reach urban populations that might find it difficult to visit farm stands, Gillespie said. What has also helped farmers is understanding what the diverse ethnic population of the state would like and producing those crops, he added. Gillespie said that consumers in the state appreciate being able to buy produce from the people who grew it and know that it is truly fresh. Ten percent of the Commonwealth is in agricultural production, he said. "The Pioneer Valley is the hotbed of that kind of production," he added. This is the third year for the market at the Tower Square Park and has grown from four vendors its first year to 12 vendors this year. Besides fresh produce there are also homemade baked goods, honey and maple syrup and a variety of craftspeople as well. The market is a partnership between Springfield Partners for Community Action, Tower Square and the Springfield Business Improvement District and it runs every Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. It is also the site for the free Friday City Block concert. Last week, local rock and roll legend Ray Mason was performing. Mayor Charles Ryan said the market is a "sign of the vitality of downtown." "It's a little oasis in the middle of downtown Springfield," he added. Missed a story from The Springfield Reminder? Log onto www.reminderpublications.com for our archive. |