written by Tarah Castiglioni, Executive Director of TEAM Jaffrey
TEAM Jaffrey’s Farmers’ Market is more than just food; it is community. The Farmers’ Market is a place to gather, to catch up with old friends and make new ones. It is a place where you can listen to live music, shop, try new things, and enjoy being in community!
The TEAM Jaffrey’s Farmers’ Market takes place every Friday from 3-6pm through September, and hosts over 17 vendors with products such as a farm fresh meats, fruits, vegetables, maple syrup, baked goods, fresh baked bread, and so much more! The Market highlights a different local nonprofit organization each week, and events such as a Project Shakespeare performance, a visit from the Vermont Institute of Natural Sciences (courtesy of a generous library grant from Millipore Sigma), and in September, a special visit from the North Pole!
We strive to make our Farmers’ Market as family-friendly and community-centric as possible, and our move to the Jaffrey Public Library lawn has helped on both fronts. Here, visitors can explore the market and our fantastic library and all it has to offer. On days where we would have to cancel due to weather, this partnership has allowed us to host an indoor Mini-Market running from 3-5pm to consistently provide access to farm-fresh food all season long.
Our upcoming Lil’ Sprouts program at the Farmers' Market will give young entrepreneurs (ages 10-16) the opportunity to market their homemade, or homegrown items! An informational program held 2 weeks before the Lil’ Sprouts Market where they learn what is involved in being a vendor, so that they can sell with confidence, and ease. The Lil’ Sprouts Market will run from July 21- August 11!
Matching Community to Affordable Food
We believe that one of the greatest benefits of the TEAM Jaffrey Farmers’ Market is the Granite State Market Match program. This Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) doubles or "matches" the funds that folks with SNAP can receive on fruits and vegetables at the market! This allows members of our community the opportunity to purchase more fresh, local and healthy produce while supporting farmers in our region!
Costs of everything, especially food, are rising so quickly, and healthy food always seems to cost the most. Families and those on tighter budgets often struggle with accessing healthier food items. Granite State Market Match and other SNAP programs afford our community the chance to provide more for themselves and their families.
We do not have our own grocery store in Jaffrey, and many community members with SNAP have to travel out of town to purchase food, which can pose transportation challenges. The Farmers’ Market provides reliable access to the freshest food, located in our quaint downtown and within walking distance of many SNAP visitors.
The TEAM Jaffrey’s Farmers’ Market has a great selection of vendors from which SNAP recipients can choose. Dog Days Farm, Monadnock Microgreens, and Rambling Oaks Farm all have an amazing and varied selection of organic, farm fresh produce and fruits. Autumn Frost Farm has farm raised organic meats, and Les Bonnes Miches offers the freshest baked bread. We also have a selection of bakers and more, so the options are quite diverse.
Visitors to the TEAM Jaffrey Farmers’ Market have been returning each week, and we are seeing greater usage of SNAP benefits at the market. We are hoping to spread the word so that more of our community can benefit from the Granite State Market Match program, and in turn help our local farmers, artisans, and craftsmen to flourish. It is an amazing program, and we are grateful for the opportunity to both utilize and provide for the Jaffrey community and beyond!
You can visit the TEAM Jaffrey Farmers’ Market every Friday from 3-6pm on the Jaffrey Public Library lawn located at 38 Main St, Jaffrey, NH. Visit teamjaffrey.org for more information on our Market, vendors, hours, and more!
The Cheshire County Conservation District is the regional lead for Granite State Market Match in Cheshire County. You can learn more about the program and other participating markets and farms in our region by visiting cheshireconservation.org/gsmm.
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