If you haven’t yet made it to the winter farmers’ market—well, why haven’t you?
But fear not; it’s not too late to get in on the action: the market, which is held the second and fourth Saturdays of the month at Forest Park’s Old Monkey House (I will never cease to be delighted when I type the words “Old Monkey House”) runs through the end of April. And this Saturday is a particularly good time to check it out—it’s the annual CISA (Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture) Winter Fare.
CISA describes Winter Fare as a celebration of the winter’s bounty, including “fresh salad greens, root vegetables, local grains and bread, eggs, meat, cheese, maple syrup, honey, jam, pickles, and more, all grown by local farmers.” There will also be music and free workshops on topics such as canning produce and making cheese. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Vendors will, as always, accept SNAP cards for payment, with a special benefit this week: as part of Winter Fare, CISA will match the first $10 spent on SNAP purchases.
The Springfield market isn’t the only one celebrating with a special winter event; Northampton’s winter market (Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the basement of Thorne’s Market) also hosts a Winter Fare this weekend. And next weekend, the Amherst and Greenfield markets host their own Winter Fares.
The events are a kick-off to CISA’s 20th anniversary celebration this year. Click here for more on local farmers’ markets.
