Farm market vendors will be back in Berwick

BY SARA KEDDY

Kings County Register

As the old ad slogan goes, those who liked it, liked it a lot.

Vendors at Berwick’s first summer farmers’ market are hoping those regulars will tell their friends the Thursday afternoon event is a must-do next season. “That’s how we build the market,” says Kate Adams, who sold coffee and sweet treats at her café stand through the market’s pilot season. She’s also the chairwoman of the pilot committee which got things up and running in June. “We had 18 vendors meet a few weeks ago at a wrap-up meeting. They were content with the summer’s numbers – for the first year. We all know the first three years of any market are the building years, and we can expect real success then.”

There have already been volunteers for everything from lining up next year’s weekly musical entertainment to looking into future decisions: does the market become a co-operative? Does it join the provincial farmers’ market association? While Adams knows it’s too early to think long-term, what about a year-round market? Another strategy meeting will take place Oct. 22 in Berwick. “There’s so much more we can do.”

The vendors and the organizing committee acknowledge the support of farmers’ market experts from neighbouring town’s market co-ops, the provincial association, local businesses and consumers. “We would like to see more participation from primary producers, we’d love more volunteers – say, an event co-ordinator to really make it come alive. “We have the tents, the signage and a bank account now, and we want to really pull things together for next year.”