Marshfield Farmers' Market

While we've certainly had plenty of sunny beach days this summer, our lack of rainy days has clearly taken a toll. It's no news that we've been experiencing the worst drought in over a decade for the past several months, with over 140 communities in Massachusetts alone imposing water restrictions. It's unfortunate to see our lawns turn brown and wither, but the consequences of our decaying yards are much less severe for me than those who need to grow food. So I decided to ask our local farmers how they have been holding up this summer, and was quite glad to hear that they have been able to make it through the summer without major problems.

Scott of Norwell Farms said he has been fortunate to have water on both the land he farms on in both Norwell and in Marshfield. Both of these properties have wells that have lasted the duration of the summer, so despite some crops coming in sooner than normal and not delivering a second cut, getting enough water for the crops hasn't been a problem- yet. Scott says that of course due to the lack of rain he has been spending more time watering, but not enough to where it's causing major problems.

Cretinon's Farmstand from Kingston relies heavily on their wells as well, though the yield has been a bit more concerning this season. David, owner of Cretinon's, tells me that peppers have been shriveling on the vine, apples are coming in smaller than expected, and he thinks it will be worse for later crops in the Autumn months. Though Cretinon's does have a pond and two wells deep enough to supply their land with water, David says simply to have the water available isn't enough. Moving hoses around the fields is a very labor intensive process that takes a lot of time, which is as we all know is a resource one can't replenish.

Others, such as Riverstreet Gardens in Halifax, have devised other ways to beat the drought in addition to having well water from a stable aquifer. Last year they decided to install a drip irrigation in their micro-farm, not knowing how handy it would be this year. Though it took many hours to install, creating this system allows for one to not have to spend eight hours hosing crops, and it is much more effective in getting the water to the roots of the plants than by hose.

I was happy to know that our farmers have not been suffering too much throughout this drought, despite the increased hours spent draining well water. But this issue does have us all wondering what the future holds. With every month being the hottest on record to date, we could definitely use a little cooling off.

The market is open from 2 to 6 p.m. Fridays at the Marshfield Fairgrounds, 140 Main St. Enter from Route 3A or south River Street across from the fire station. Parking and admission are free. The market offers a text reminder the day of the market each week. Sign up by texting the code mar248 to 781-676-3236. For more information, visit MarshfieldFarmersMarket.com. It includes a map of the market, all vendors, products and much more or call the manager, Stephen, at 781-248-8501.

At the turn of the 20^th century, a whopping 41% of the nation's workforce worked in agriculture. Our society and world has seen this figure continue to dwindle to a point where today less than 2% of the U.S. population works in agriculture. Clearly, we see a food system that is tremendously different from the one we saw even one hundred years ago, and its effects are huge. Globalization has only further stimulated this distancing from producer to consumer, to the point where often times the food on our plates travels thousands of miles, multiple countries, and several methods of transportation before it's final destination. Talking to a friend recently, it occurred to me that not only are we disconnected from our food, but we don't really seem to be aware of this separation either.

We've all seen advertising to 'Buy Local', especially when it comes to food. But what exactly does that mean? And why is it so important? One huge advantage is buying local grown produce is that you can rest assured knowing that the food you're buying is fresh. I was recently telling a friend about local blueberries being so much better than those in the supermarket where they come from countries as far away as Chile or Uruguay, and he was surprised to learn this. Being an advocate for sourcing locally, I was eager to share my two cents on the matter. I said that the main reason for the difference in taste was the small distance it had to travel to get to you. Buying locally sourced means that these foods have not been frozen and didn't ripen during their long journey to your kitchen. Because it doesn't lose as many nutrients through freezing and preserving it as its imported counterparts have, buying local blueberries instead of ones from a shelf on the supermarket not only taste better, but are better for you too.

Additionally, buying local means supporting small businesses and the local economy. Purchasing a product from a vendor from the South Shore often times means that that profit is going directly to sustain their business and their livelihood. More often than not, shopping local means buying something from a small business that doesn't employ more than a dozen or so people that live within close proximity. Compared to buying that same product from a multinational company that employs thousands of individuals, the economic return has much more of an impact.

In terms of environmental consequences, the benefits of buying local are great. For one, more attention is given to conservation of farmland as well as wildlife, which in the South Shore is an aesthetic beauty I love about the area. To put it gently, large scale industrial farming is not so attentive to how it affects the land being used and the crops being grown. We've all seen pictures or videos of massive swaths of land, all occupied by the same crop, being sprayed by pesticides by machine or even by airplane. However, the biggest issue with buying products from overseas is the carbon footprint that comes with it. As someones who's favorite fruit is mango, it pains me to think about how much energy is exhausted on transporting it from tropical climates to sit in grocery stores in New England. Combined with all of the high energy production methods of cleaning and packaging food that is imported, this adds up to a food's carbon footprint quite quickly.

In a world when everyone seems to be more conscious and careful about the food we are consuming, it's great to buy from a local farmer who can answer any questions you have about their produce, seeing as how it's likely they picked that crop with their own hands. That connection from producer to consumer is something I wish we could see more of in every day life, and in today's globalized world it sometimes seems hard to find.   

Though I'm a strong proponent of paying attention to the food you're purchasing and eating, I think that something greatly overlooked in our society is the food you're not eating. I'm sure we can all recall at some point in our lives when a parent or guardian told us to clean our plates, that there are people who would love to have the food we have available. And it's true, about eight hundred million people on this planet go hungry every day, with the number unfortunately rising throughout both the developed and developing worlds. I have a clear memory of sitting in the cafeteria in grade school and seeing just how much of the food got tossed into the trash every day, and thinking about how much of a waste of perfectly good food it all was. However, school cafeterias are far from being the only place where food is wasted. An estimated 25-40% of food grown, processed, and transported in the U.S. will never be consumed, and much of that waste is produced before food even enters your home. So much food is thrown away before it sits on shelves due to the desire we have to only purchase only the most perfect looking produce.

This waste is a real shame, especially when you consider the fact that in Massachusetts alone, more than 375,000 homes struggle with food insecurity. Recently, efforts have been made to bring this perfectly good produce to those who do want it. In Dorchester, The Daily table sells surplus and aging food at discounted prices in attempts to both provide nutritional food to urban dwellers while simultaneously cutting back on food wasted in the supply chain. New ideas such as this can drastically reduce the amount of food we end up throwing away to rot in the landfill.

At the end of it's life, food continues to be a tremendous strain on our environment and resources as well. After using energy and resources to transfer our garbage to the closest landfill, it doesn't simply sit there. In case you didn't know, when food waste breaks down in a landfill it turns into methane, a greenhouse gas that, depending on when it is released into the atmosphere, can be up to seventy times more potent than carbon dioxide. After considering the enormous consequences this has on our environment, it's no wonder why efforts for composting are becoming more common. Having worked on a campaign to secure a curbside composting program for the city of Austin, it should go without saying that I think a comprehensive composting plan is something that all communities can benefit greatly from in multiple ways. As opposed to decomposition in a landfill, when food waste is broken down intentionally through composting, carbon is sequestered and is therefore not released. Lastly, and perhaps the biggest incentive for all, is that the less waste we send to the landfill, the less we as taxpayers end up paying to maintain that landfill both during and after we use it.

While it seems that we may be a ways away from seeing a composting program come to fruition throughout the South Shore, there are steps we can make to help with waste diversion. It can be as simple as keeping a bin in your freezer than you put food scraps in before transferring them to a compost pile in your backyard. If you don't want to keep a compost pile in your backyard, perhaps you have a neighbor who would be more than happy to take your food scraps for their garden. I don't in any way mean to suggest this as an end-all solution to the problem, as the issues surrounding food waste are vast and complex, but what I am suggesting is to think twice next time you toss that orange peel in the trash.

The market is open from 2 to 6 p.m. Fridays at the Marshfield Fairgrounds, 140 Main St. Enter from Route 3A or south River Street across from the fire station. Parking and admission are free. The market offers a text reminder the day of the market each week. Sign up by texting the code mar248 to 781-676-3236. For more information, visit MarshfieldFarmersMarket.com. It includes a map of the market, all vendors, products and much more or call the manager, Stephen, at 781-248-8501.

For those of you who have been reading the bi-weekly column from the manager of the Marshfield Farmers' Market, it should come as no surprise that Lorrie Dahlen has recently moved on from her role to become a mother to a very lucky little boy. As Lorrie mentioned in her last column, she has chosen me to replace her to fill what I have been told are her “very big shoes.” Seeing as how this is the first of what I hope to be many columns written for the Mariner, I figured it would be a good time to introduce myself, and, as many of the vendors of the market have been eager to know: what led me to be in this position.

I have had a passion for food for quite some years now, not only in terms of cooking and of course, eating it, but like many millenials I care deeply about where my food comes from, how it is prepared, and what is in it. This curiosity naturally led to me being a strong proponent of buying and eating local, mostly from farmers' markets, which has shown to be more socially and environmentally sustainable than modern industrial farming. One thing about farmers' markets that never gets old for me is having a question about the food or product that you want to buy and being able to ask the producer, right on the spot. This often leads to a lengthy conversation in which you walk away not only with newfound knowledge, but a better understanding of how much time and effort went into creating a good product.

I grew up on the South Shore in Norwell, and the older I get the more I realize how fortunate I was to grow up in an area as beautiful and prosperous as this one. After moving away for a while, I returned to my hometown to find the perfect opportunity to support the local food system and help add to the vibrant South Shore community. Several people to whom I've talked to about my new job have told me quite frankly that they didn't know farmers' markets had managers, to which I can't help but chuckle. I suppose a successful farmers' market does appear to just pop-up on its own, which makes sense as to why many people wouldn't understand that a lot of work goes on behind the scenes.

Now that I have officially taken over for Lorrie, I'm eager to bring my own ideas to the market. I must say, I am very grateful that Lorrie has not handed me a mess that I have to work endlessly to put together. As one of our vendors told me on my first day, Lorrie keeps the market “like a well-oiled machine.” And I intend to keep it that way. Like all jobs, there's a steep learning curve. At time it feels like I just inherited another person's business- one that is responsible not only for its own success but for all of the wonderful vendors that are with us as well. That being said, I'm excited to rise to the occasion, and can already tell this is going to be a great market season. So come down and say hello!

The market is open from 2 to 6 p.m. Fridays at the Marshfield Fairgrounds, 140 Main St. Enter from Route 3A or south River Street across from the fire station. Parking and admission are free. The market offers a text reminder the day of the market each week. Sign up by texting the code mar248 to 781-676-3236. For more information, visit MarshfieldFarmersMarket.com. It includes a map of the market, all vendors, products and much more or call the manager, Stephen, at 781-248-8501.

This is my final submission for “At the Market” as I bid a fond farewell to managing the Marshfield Farmers’ Market. “I am becoming a mom”, I have to say this out loud repeatedly, as I have not yet fully absorbed the notion. Everything is about to change as my main focus shifts to raising a toddler who is joining our family shortly.

I cannot satisfactorily perform both jobs the way I would like and still achieve sufficient nightly sleep. So it is bittersweet that I surrender one of my passions and welcome Stephen Herling to the Market Manager position. I’ll still help, but in the background.

Soon I’ll visit the market through the eyes of a three year old. Once the household has settled a bit and my produce is plentiful I’ll vend at the Market, sell my farm products, and probably be happily engaged in adult gardening conversation for a few consecutive hours (rather than a preschool level).

Currently life is a scramble of painting, planning, and purchasing necessities and fun things to help make a little one feel at home in a strange place. Marshfield artist Marcia Ballou’s original painting, called Summer Dreams from which my farm’s sign was made, with the bunny eating carrots and strawberries is wonderfully bright and colorful. It will be the cheerful centerpiece of the child’s room. We’ll have wooden toys from Papa Smith and goodies from other vendors. It will be cozy.

I feel I have lived my life out of order. Having a child after both a high power career and a few years of staying home and farming in nearly a semi-retirement mode is either brilliant or a bit crazy. My energy doesn’t compare to that of my 20’s or 30’s, however there will be no corporate career competing for my attention. Hopefully the child rearing experience will enliven me to feel youthful and see the world through the eyes of a growing child. I just pray this little one will enjoy learning about gardening, horses, nature, the wonderful foods we grow, and that occasionally I can sleep late.

Please introduce yourself to Stephen Herling in his new position as the manager. He has a passion for local food, enjoys writing as well as interacting with people. Herling has worked at farmers’ markets in the past and will bring fresh ideas to our town’s thriving market while maintaining its 10 year reputation as a friendly community gathering of vendors and a diverse selection of 100% local food and goods. Already Herling has added Instagram to our social media suite; you can get Market updates there as well as Facebook and Twitter, all carry the call sign @MarsfhieldFM. He will also take over this column.

This Friday a new vendor joins the family. Dolce Vita Cupcakes is a Marshfield High culinary student and daughter of popular vendor Flapdoodle Bags’ Renee Roberts. Try her delicious cupcakes in fun flavors. If you haven’t yet noticed Marshfield vendor Casba with their hummus, tabouli, and other Mediterranean, Vegan, and GF foods you are in for a treat. This week at 3:30 the free kids’ activity is cookie decorating by LollyCake Ladies, for those 3-16 years. Friday’s market promises to be a great outing with Aaron Cooper as the entertainment, pony rides on the grass, and the strawberries still sweet and abundant!

To all my readers I thank you for your feedback and occasional praise regarding my column these past 5 years. Over the summer I hope to see all the friends I’ve made through my days at the Market but in my new capacity, shopping with a toddler holding my hand. And so it is time to say, “Farewell”.

The market is open every Friday 2-6 pm at the Marshfield Fairgrounds (140 Main St). Enter from Route 3A or south River Street across from the Fire Station. Parking and admission are free. The market offers a text reminder the day of the market each week. Sign up by texting the code mar248 to 781-676-3236. For more information visit MarshfieldFarmersMarket.com, it includes a map of the market, all vendors, products and much more or call the manager, Stephen, at 781-248-8501. Look for Stephen's first blog entry in two weeks!

Last year I resolved to make healthy, tasty dinners for our extended family rotating through all, including cousins, children too. I made it through about 70% of family members and then summer garden chores stole me away, well that’s my story anyhow. Rather than make a new resolution I will finish what I started. Am I letting myself off the hook? No, it’s just better to finish than quit even if late. Most resolve each to a healthier lifestyle, usually exercise, diet or both. Diet is well timed this year with release of the new dietary guidelines, Michael Pollen’s movie on food, and the big news that Campbell’s will disclose GMOs on their labels. These things should make it easier, right? Grab at whatever helps your resolutions stick. Watch the movie (free this month) and read the guidelines, both are on line. The gist of these is to buy “real” food, i.e. whole foods, to eat mostly plants and less “protein” but make it count. i.e. buy meat/poultry/fish/eggs that has been treated well and/or sustainably. Marshfield’s Farmers’ Market can help as all offerings of produce, meats, poultry, and many of the prepared foods offered, follow sustainable practices or are certified organic. All farmers and chefs will gladly talk to you about ways to prepare things more healthfully; many have recipes at the table. Just buying and eating locally grown will make you feel better. I tried three new recipes, modified for healthfulness over the holidays. I didn’t tell my husband and he raved about each of the dishes stating they were the best he’d ever eaten. (He is so wonderful for my ego during these ravings!) The stew used 100% grass fed dry aged beef and lots of fresh chopped herbs from my garden. Both the corn and banana breads used whole wheat flour, either no fat or lower, healthier fats, and reduced sugars were replaced with honey. The stew was so amazing that I was forced to give out the recipe, admittedly, it was perfection. The breads I fully expected bland, tough, dry, blah, tasteless results but they came out wonderful. I had to make each three times by popular demand by both my sister-in-law and husband. The recipes and some of the ingredients will be available at the Farmers’ Market this Saturday 10-2pm as it opens for the first time in 2016. As an added bonus this month registered FarmFans who check-in will be entered to win a gift certificate. FarmFan is a free program that sends a text message reminder 2 hours before each market to your phone. FarmFans simply check-in or visit the manager’s booth to enter, just sign up before 8 am Saturday following this link http://ffa.mx/j/MarshfieldFarmersMarket if you aren’t already a FarmFan. A 4H group, called the Hare Raisers, will have snuggly bunnies to pet and will host the kids’ activity, origami rabbits. Local favorite, Peter Mundt, will entertain with popular, fun songs adding to the air of optimism, energy, and community felt at the markets.

Visiting Norwell Farms was a learning experience. It is 2 organizations spanning 4 different properties, including Mounce’s Meadow in Marshfield, totaling 12 acres tilled and 3 more planted with cover crops to rejuvenate the soil. Scott Franklin doesn’t own any of the land he farms, so he must work with another farmer plus the historic and conservation commissions in two towns coordinating his efforts keeping everyone happy. The farm dates to the 1700’s. Franklin and his wife, Elise, began cultivation in 2010 and live in the farmhouse situated on the property. Upon arrival I was greeted by the "3 little pigs", and "chicken little". Actually there was a whole henhouse of chickens but since the farm offers a story telling hour each week with information about farming and food for children, fairy tale names fit. The pigs are part of the farm’s educational outreach organization, made possible in part by a grant won this spring from Seeds of Change. This portion of the farm includes a summer camp, school programs, Friday morning story time, and works with community shelters. Franklin described how he came to be a farmer at historic Jacobs Farm in Norwell as “an amazing journey”. Completing his degree in environmental science and plant/soil studies at the University of Vermont he knew he wanted to work outside, but at what he didn’t know. When Franklin and his wife went to live in Brittany, France on a small family farm, his hands-on work at this biodynamic homestead provided that “ah-hah” moment that led him to farming. Next employment on an 80 acre farm on Long Island provided a fast education running a certified organic farm. From there Franklin went to Siena Farms in Sudbury, MA which operates a 750 share CSA. CSA means Community Supported Agriculture; a system where consumers pay early in the season for a set number of weeks of produce. This model allows the farmer to purchase supplies, seeds, and pay his laborers while not worrying about how he will sell his products. Instead he focuses on growing and providing weekly harvest “shares” to the investors. The consumer shares the risk with the farmer, and generally receives better priced produce for shelling out their money and trust in advance. Norwell Farms’ grows 130 CSA shares with a pick-up option at the Marshfield Farmers’ Market. At the Market many refer to Franklin as the happiest farmer ever met; he loves his job and the passion shows in the quality product he brings to market each week. He has joy in his eyes and always a smile as he explains things to customers. When asked what is your favorite vegetable, Franklin responded “to grow, it is all cucurbits (cucumbers, squashes, melons), and to eat it has to be warm, sun-ripened watermelon with salt”. I loved checking out his gardens with strawberries, raspberries, melons and flowers, the hot house with the garlic drying and the many rows of leeks, onions, beets, carrots and sweet potatoes. Franklin showed me his latest “toys” for the tractor which save a farmer tremendous amounts of time. These included wheels which automatically punch through a ground cover, provide water and actually plants the seedlings all in one motion. The wheels come in different sizes depending on the crop to be planted. In addition to farming he loves to cook, so ask for a recipe if you don’t know what to do with a vegetable. Franklin farms year-round for the Marshfield Farmers’ Market, providing fresh and local goods even in New England’s dreary winter months. The farm awaits official certification as an organic grower, and Franklin uses no pesticides or herbicides, only organic seed and amendments. Some of the more interesting things he is growing includes dent corn, for corn flour, sweet potatoes, 6 varieties of onions, fennel and flowers in addition to a winter CSA of greens and regional products like honey, maple syrup and whole wheat flour for which you can now sign up. The Farmers’ Market is open every Friday through October 9th from 2-6 pm offering both organic and conventionally grown produce from 6 local farms. Beginning in November the market moves to a one-monthly status on the third Saturday of each month.

Sunday I battled air force squadrons of mosquitoes to address some potential blight concerns from all this damp weather in my garden. The heat stress of the past month, combined with long periods of humid or wet weather, creates the perfect recipe for tomato blight. This sets off fear in the pit of my stomach; I just picked my first heirlooms this week. Farmers so rarely get a break, and it looks like this season might not end well. As I fretted and checked out the situation I found some wonderful surprises awaited me in the garden, and changed my perspective. Harvesting my first sweet corn I fought off a Pavlavian drool. To get to the corn I had to battle climbing the many winter squash vines that have run wild in the garden, taking over every square inch of open earth and climbing both through and over the fences to escape. A mistake, as the deer rapidly devour all escapees. Squash are even climbing the peach tree in search of expansion. Trying not to step on and crush the vines or to brush my skin against the prickled leaves was a challenge in balance, poise, and flexibility. It was a slow trek. Hidden beneath the greenery I discovered about a dozen Cushaw squash, half of which are easily 15-20 pounds each. They look like adult swans striped with a few green feathers down their back. My first attempt to grow Cushaw, and they’re prize winners. There was also beautiful Butternut and Delicata tucked everywhere under the leaves. Again I drooled, thinking about fall meals; I should have worn a bib to the garden. As I walked back to the second garden, where the melons have similarly claimed most ground space, I found the Rosa Bianca eggplant were delivering volleyball size fruits, just coming ripe. My face beamed. A little chirp caught my attention just a few feet away. A baby hummingbird sat comfortably on a flower’s edge sipping zinnia slurpies on the giant redwood of the zinnia family, California Giant Zinnias. The flower didn’t even budge as she hopped to try another flavor on the next color flower. Her mother darted and buzzed like an attack helicopter through the gladioli, getting happily drunk on nectar cocktails as she demonstrated techniques to her baby. The youngster awkwardly made its way to perch on the fence wire. She stayed long enough for me to get my camera, take many stills and 2 videos from a mere 3 foot distance. I imagine, as she rested her wings, she was admiring the flower gardens, and possibly drooling. This became a blessed garden stroll captured for positive memories the next time tomato blight fears erupt. Local farmers have mounds of produce spilling over table edges offered at the Training Green Friday at the market. It is peak season, the flavors are amazing, it is time to can and freeze. The market is giving away tickets to the Fair through the Facebook page, “Fans of the Marshfield Farmers Market”. Located on the town green (870 Moraine St., Rt 3A/139) again this Friday 2-6 pm. Park in the church lot on 139, or the Town Hall lot. For more information on the 30+ vendors follow our Facebook page, the website www.MarshfieldFair.org/fm.htm , or call the manager at 781-635-0889.

My visit to River Street Gardens, an organic-exempt grower, was absolutely delightful. Three generations were working together in the darling gardens, with intertwined paths and bee covered flowers. The family has been gardening here since the 1970s, growing for fresh eating, canning and freezing some, sharing with family and neighbors, and then any extras go to market. The gardens cover about 1 acre and the remainder of the parcel is a certified Wildlife Habitat through the National Wildlife Federation. Susannah Warren and her parents, Rita and Richard Warren, taught me much about their gardening methods, trials and tribulations. As we walked the grounds Warren’s niece, Isabelle, picked handfuls of tender red and blonde jewels from the bountiful raspberry bushes, insisting that I eat them. I was easily and most happily persuaded! Dahlias, not yet in bloom, were prevalent and I could envision the dramatic beauty the long rows in front of the house would soon share with the neighborhood. Combined with the bee balm, Echinacea, Hydrangea, and other flowers the bouquets will surely be striking at the market. Walking through the many small plots packed with vegetables and carefully mulched with grass clippings felt like stepping into a movie set of grandma’s perfect yard as seen by a child; a most wondrous place full of imagination, secret paths, and tasty goodies. The love that tends these gardens oozes from every plant. Yes, there are some weeds, but those help balance the soil, bring up the nutrients, and feed the vegetables. Around every corner I found another jewel, like the collards and brightly colored chard, the sweet potato rows, the beehives, the wild onion patch, the sunflowers, the strawberry garden, and the grape arbor hanging heavy with fruit. The squash, planted a bit too close together, already pose a challenge to harvest and provide a good chuckle upon each attempt. The 130 tomato plants tucked in and around every bend of the gardens will become a near full time job with the tying-up, pruning and picking through August. This year’s tomato starts are far beyond their normal numbers, they just couldn’t bear to put the extra seedlings in the compost pile! The 17 varieties of tomatoes planted include the popular Pruden’s Purple and Green Zebra slicers, an Orange Banana paste tomato and the three cherry tomatoes that just beckon to be tasted are Gardener’s Sweetheart, Green Doctor’s, and Be My Baby. During my visit the garlic was being harvested. Warren’s father provided a full demonstration of how to properly use this funny hook tool to get under and pull up the garlic bulbs. Each stem produced large, well-formed bulbs, nearly perfect, very aromatic. The select varieties of other vegetables in these little gardens amazed me nearly as much as the careful attention to organic practices. Killing bugs by hand, and using compost instead of chemical pesticides and fertilizers are examples. The Warrens are also using certified organic seed and provide lots of beneficial insect refuge and food sources. The quality of the soil was reflected in the vegetables; vibrant and healthy. The gardens are reflective too, the Warrens clearly care deeply for the environment, their food, and their family.

Summer fruit is ripe! The farmers’ market is bursting with the freshest picked local fruit around. With the addition of a new fruit vendor the orchards are yielding sweet early apples, nectarines, apricots, peaches, plums, some bizarre variety of pears as well as a steady flow of red, black, and blue berries. Arriving soon at the market will be figs and pears, followed later by grapes and many more apple varieties. Freshly picked at the peak of ripeness these market fruits deliver sweet and healthy refreshment with fewer pesticides and chemicals. No one variety is around for long as they are not intended for storage or long distance shipments, but instead for fresh eating changing the choices weekly. Varieties grown locally are selected for flavor and the ability to grow here in Massachusetts. Every a purchase at the market supports the Massachusetts agricultural community and sends a farmers’ son or daughter to college and pay the mortgage as well as support the local economy. This is peak season for grill-able summer veggies too. The farmers are loaded with options; six main farms supply a wide variety of goods and a few smaller vendors have some treasures too. Some things to try grilled include patty-pan squash, beets slow roasted, or make a tinfoil boat with various veggies, a little butter and garlic. Match that with some grass fed beef burgers or a steak, add a salad with raw turnips, tomatoes, lettuces and cucumbers and dinner is done! It is also the time of year for digging your teeth into a crunchy ear of sweet corn. Lightly cooked in boiling water for 6 minutes creates a surprisingly sweet, buttery flavor that drips down your chin. It is also an easy BBQ-able; simply remove the silks and tie the husk closed and then cook on the grill for a smoky flavor and no dishes to wash. This week the children’s activity is rock painting hosted by Humapebbles and the live music is by the duo Jay and Abby Michaels known as the Harper and the Minstrel. Their Celtic folk style of music is peaceful, uplifting, and relaxing. The Marshfield Farmers’ Market at the fairgrounds has over 40 vendors of fresh local foods, home goods and crafts for an enjoyable Friday afternoon. Parking and admission are free. Grounds are stroller and wheelchair friendly with lots to do and learn. Visit www.MarshfieldFair.org/fm.htm for more information or contact the manager at 781-635-0889.

Visiting conventionally farmed Freitas Farm in Middleboro last week was invigorating with much anticipation for the goods to come this season. Scott Freitas is now training the 5th generation about farming, teaching his young children the methods of strawberry picking. I got to taste one of the last of the season’s bounty, absolutely delicious. This farm is modeled for sales at farmers’ markets as the main source of income; their location is not inductive for a farm stand or on-farm sales. Every day is a market day for Freitas farm. We started the tour in front of the 3 greenhouses where the long rows of lettuces, squash, and tomato plants were tended to with drip irrigation. The jungle of tomato vines awaited the process of tying them up, a quick view in the greenhouse showed just how that was to be accomplished. There the baseball sized globes were glowing green and red all down each neatly tied row. To the sides were the raised boxes used for the carrots and beets over winter and in the next greenhouse over it was overflowing with nearly spent cucumber vines that had given hundreds of early spring cucumbers. Such bounty requires tremendous heat generation throughout the late winter months and early spring, accomplished by a wood furnace with underground pipes to transport the warm air to each greenhouse oasis. The third greenhouse was full of spring plants, flowers and hangers providing the first sales of the year. Taking a drive in the truck we visited the 9 different parcels totaling 60 acres with more than half of it under cultivation. We twisted through small wooded sections to find hidden fields tucked between the small hills. The fields had mixed varieties of vegetables succession planted to permit the best use of space and supply a continual flow of produce. The apple orchards, packed full with fruit, were being watered, and some late pruning was underway. In another field beans of 3 colors were being picked as were multiple types of summer squash over-filling boxes and buckets. On any given day there can be five to fifteen people working the fields and greenhouses. Some of the fields have no irrigation, others have heavy duty sprayers to quench the soil’s thirst much like a golf course is watered. The orchards have drip irrigation to assure proper watering of the mature trees. The variety was amazing from 7 varieties of apples to watermelon, from beets and three color of beans to multiple types of zucchini and summer squashes. There are raspberries, cherries, wine berries, pears and peaches too. Sweet potatoes, carrots, onions and cucumbers were almost as abundant as the many fields of corn. In one field the okra was blooming with its happy creamy and black faced flowers and the row next to it the okra was ready to pick, the bounty was almost as large as the plant itself. Another small field already had Sungold cherry tomatoes yielding in small quantity, sweet and juicy as always. The farm uses non-GMO seed primarily from one supplier and has been growing most of the same varieties for several generations; proven varieties that the farm can count on producing well. Most planting is done with a large pull behind seeder, creating straight rows with evenly spaced plants. Deer are prevalent, however the mixed rows and multiple plantings in large quantity provide for some anticipated sharing of the bounty. On the wish list of things awaiting time and capital investment are heavy pruning and netting for the blueberry fields and to replant the cranberry fields. Although small harvests are still possible both need some overhaul to get the yield needed to be profitable with those crops. There is just so much a farmer can get accomplished each year. Last year's project was the addition of cold storage, a root cellar, permitting overwintering of potatoes as seed potatoes for this year.

I took a tour of Cretinon’s three sites under tillage and the farm stand with Graham Bouthiller, a 10 year employee. It was fun and enlightening. The farm stand offers much variety from near and far, but when at the Marshfield Farmers’ Market, Cretinon’s offerings are completely different. Like many farmers’ markets, sales are restricted to producer grown items, with a few exceptions for hard to find local items. Cretinon’s grows plenty of vegetables for Marshfield, the two other markets they attend, and supply their farm stand too. David Cretinon and his brother, Rolie, were busy weeding while his sister, Beverly, was working the farm stand during the visit. The stand offers a huge array of produce from near and far, like their own arugula and snap peas to the far away and more tropical avocados and mangos, plus almost everything in between. One can also purchase fresh bread as well as Lovin’ Spoonfull’s jelly, Simpson Springs’ soda, and Jenny D’s honey. These additions help a small farm stand business support their families while offering a one stop shopping experience for customers. The once thriving hotspot for spring flowers and plantings, Cretinon’s home in Kingston, was nearly suffocated with the upsurge of retail giants like Lowes and Home Depot. They had to make business changes for the farm to survive. The greenhouses make room in the spring for starting many vegetables grown at the farm. Container flowers are often started using plugs due to patent restrictions, and some slow-growing herbs, but not the vegetables. Everything is started from non-GMO seed purchased from three New England seed companies. The fields of a small farmer work to maximize yield per square foot with narrow rows inter planted with multiple vegetables and flowers. Luckily Bouthillier pointed out the flower varieties growing from seed, or I would have mistaken them as weeds. Mixed planting is a space saver, reduces weed pressures, and aids in reducing pest damage. This and companion planting methods are often used in organic gardens. Although not an organic farm, Cretinon’s uses some methods in concert with nature. For example, the planting of flowers varieties between vegetables offers both bouquets to sell and hide-outs for beneficial insects like ladybugs. This spring required shoveling the snow off the ground near the high tunnel to plant the peas on April 1st, a later planting date than usual. The continued cold nights delayed tender plantings, giving weeds an advantage. The delays caused ever lengthening to-do lists and the weeds gain ground. All the weeding is done by hand and with a narrow walk behind tiller to fit down the rows. Growing carrots, for example, requires hand weeding 3 or 4 times before they reach marketable size. A remarkable amount of work for the price sold at market. I found myself drooling at the 20 year old asparagus patch now in full feathered greenery and the 100 foot rows of potatoes, squashes, cabbages, kales, tomatoes, and corn. It was disheartening to see the tops of a half row of month-old string bean plants devoured the night before by deer. Luckily multiple succession plantings between the less desirable (for deer) plants assure string bean survival and continual offerings throughout the summer. Bouthillier calls the field trials site his “test kitchen”, growing small 5-20’ rows of new varieties and trialing farming methods without the risk of a failed 100’ row. As an added bonus this means offering both early and unique varieties at the farmers’ market, in small quantity. Cretinon and Bouthillier tried a new method of starting spring carrots and beets, it was a great success resulting in market-size beets and carrots far earlier than other farms. There are also tomatillos, collards, new lettuces and chard carefully protected from the deer in this smaller site. The peach trees and ancient apple trees edge the bottom field, awaiting the next wave of planting. This test site is remote and private with lovely views from the hilltop, appropriately named Valley View Farm. Here the soil is enhanced with chicken manure and the back of the garden had 5’ tall milkweed in full bloom feeding the bees. Cretinon’s has supported the Marshfield Farmers’ Market since inception. The Farmers’ Market restricts produce to 100% local offerings, which means Massachusetts gown. Further restrictions are that it must be producer-grown with few exceptions by permission. Each year Cretinon’s offerings at the market have increasingly become more of their own. Now only a few items (10% or less) are offered which are grown by another farmer, and those must be separate from Cretinon’s own and labeled as to the farm on which grown. This method allows customers greater access to local fruit in particular. At Cretinon’s farm stand in Kingston these restrictions do not apply, thus they can offer a wider array of grocery products and produce, helping to sustain a generations old business in this modern age of warehouse megastores and giant mono-culture farms. The Farm Stand is located at 86 Landing Road in the Kingston near the Duxbury line. But, you can find David Cretinon, and sometimes his fiancé Juli Grzybala, at the Marshfield Farmers’ Market every Friday , where they first met and fell in love!