Marshfield Farmers' Market

I was watching a period drama put on by BBC where several small businesses worked together to cross utilize their wares and provide a better end product to the customer.Our own community teams together with the Farmers’ Market at its core to bring foodies a unique assortment of delectable flavors and wares.There is so much cooperation behind the scenes and this Friday even the Marshfield Fire department is teaming up with the farmers’ market.A shiny red fire engine will be accompanied by a beloved heroic community figure, a firefighter, starting at 2:00 this week.All are invited to come see the truck, ask questions, and learn about fire safety and a free kids’ craft will be making a fire dog, a trusty Dalmatian.

Here are some examples of our teammates at work.Most wonderfully, Marshfield’s elementary schools have gardens and are selling their freshly picked organic produce from the Martinson and South River School Gardens at the farmers’ market.These young business-boys and business-girls are learning about farming, harvesting, math, weights and measures, handling money and many other aspects of running a small business.This includes interfacing with customers both at the market and with chefs at local restaurants.Should you seek out the school’s booth (inside, under the grandstand) you can also read about the three stages of their gardens, the work they are doing, and where they are headed, which includes a cooperative with a new high school cooking program.A conversation with the school children is entertaining too.

There is a Marshfield farmer, Garretson Cranberry & Market, who grows collards for the South Shore Bar-B-Q Man to cook and offer with his unique blend of spices to bring the flavors of the south to the table.Then there is the newest Marshfield food vendor who reaches farther south, to Columbia and Venezuela, for the flavor s of her goods while using local and organic ingredients to create authentic arepas.This would be Molly Drane, a Marshfield graduate who traveled and returned home to create Donde Thiago.This Friday, at 3:30 pm during the market, she will tell her delightful story of how her arepas came to be a business, answer questions, and offer free samples.The fresh ingredients wrapped in warm corn based arepas and drizzled with authentic sauces are bursting with flavor and are a welcome new addition to “Foodie Friday”.

Other great partnerships include those between farmers and chefs from Renaissance Cooking and Jenny Dee’s Bees, Pembroke and Kingston/Duxbury based businesses, respectively.Renaissance cooking has pickles, sauces, jams and take-home sides utilizing local fruits and vegetables.Once the cucumbers and green beans are in season you can expect lots of bread and butter pickles and dilly beans!They also offer amazing vegan burgers and not-so-vegan marinated grass fed beef tips.Meanwhile, Jenny D infuses her own lavender & honey into fabulous lavender lemonade and takes in-season fruits to create flavor-popping all-fruit popsicles that you can feel good about eating.No food coloring, preservatives, or artificial anything is used.

The Marshfield Farmers’ Market is open every Friday rain or shine, 2 – 6 pm at the Fairgrounds (140 Main St).Enter from route 3A or South River St across from the fire station.Grounds are wheelchair & stroller friendly, parking and admission are always free.For more information visit the website, www.MarshfieldFair.org/fm.htm or call 781-635-0889.