Somerville, MA – Now that Somerville’s summer markets have closed and there’s a sharp chill in the air it’s time to shift the action indoors. The Somerville Winter Farmers Market, reopening on December 5, 2015. in this new season welcomes a fresh mix of vendors. Celebrate the best of New England farms and food every Saturday through the end of March at the Armory on Highland Avenue.

 

Stroll among more than 30 booths where you’ll find a wide variety of local products including vegetables, meats, fish, dairy, ciders, and specialty foods. The market boasts a wide array of produce and winter greenhouse greens all season long.

 

“We work hard to bring fresh, delicious produce, pastured meats, free range eggs, cheeses from local dairies, and more, to Somerville. We get to know our vendors, tour farms and walk the fields. We’re impressed with our farms and their products and know that you will be, too,” says MaryCat Chaikin who oversees the market. “Please join us in supporting these farmers who work hard year round to grow, harvest, and store fresh food for us to enjoy in the winter months.”

 

Several new vendors join the winter market this year, including two who made a positive impact at the Union Square Farmers Market. Mycoterra Mushroom Farm of Westhampton, MA sells whole mushrooms including shitake, oyster and Lion’s Mane varieties, and offers mushroom kits too, so that, with a minimum of effort, you can grow your own crop home. Based in Wilbraham, Blake Orchards Juicery sources 100% organic ingredients to create unpasteurized, cold-pressed juices and nut mylks. Sold in attractive, environmentally sustainable glass bottles, the delicious and nutritious blends had been selling out all summer.

 

Many early stage entrepreneurs launch their specialty products at farmers markets and there are several newcomers of note.. 1634 Meadery recently opened in Ipswich and is already gaining a cult following for their Orange Elation, a smooth and fruity wine of orange blossom honey. Their other meads, like Puritan Pride that uses local, dark, fall wildflower honey and is fermented dry and aged on American Oak, are perfect for savoring slow in front of the fireplace. Ava’s Popcorn launched in nearby Arlington and her crowd-pleasing, handcrafted popcorns feature ultra-buttery and luscious caramel sauce, freshly roasted and caramelized nuts, and dreamy chocolate. Catherine Wiersema, a French chocolatier, is now leading Chocolats Passion in Belmont where she creates beautifully presented limited collections of hand painted, filled chocolates like passion fruit vanilla, hazelnut citrus, and ginger caramel.

 

Stopping in through the season are a number of guest vendors. A particularly exciting addition is Baer’s Best Beans, one of only handful of Massachusetts farms growing heirloom bush beans. Varieties cultivated here since colonial days like Jacob’s Cattle, Yellow Eye, and Soldier are hand picked, dried and passed through 100 year old hand grading machines to bring the very best to market. Befitting the Central American origins of these age-old beans, Baer’s also produces and sells dried chili peppers. Early in the winter season Harms Family Farm in Brookfield will bring three grades of the maple syrup they prepare the old fashioned way: over a wood fire evaporator and filtered through cotton. Also among the guests is Scoop Sights from Cambridge with pints of dairy-free ice cream made from organic coconut cream.

 

Each week on the mezzanine level visitors will find ready-to-eat and specialty foods to bring home like tamales and meats from Tex Mex Eats, savory handpies, soups and salads from The Roving Lunch Box. and smoked salmon, bluefish and haddock from The Boston Smoked Fish Company. Calcutta Curry brings the spice, adding exotic flavors to locally sourced ingredients with favorites like mattar paneer and chicken tikka masala for an easy lunch or dinner. Visitors will find a slew of sweet treats and snacks from the likes of Tipping Cow Ice Cream, Spindler Confections, Apothekers, Taza Chocolate, Q’s Nuts and Union Square Donuts. Feeling thirsty? Barismo serves up coffee and tea is available by the cup from Soluna Garden Farm.

 

The Somerville Winter Farmers Market accepts SNAP/EBT cards. Those on SNAP food assistance can double their dollars at the market, with a 1-to-1 match up to $10 a week. Visit the manager booth for more information and to obtain tokens to spend at the market booths.

 

Visit the market’s website at http://www.somwintermarket.org for complete details on vendors. So you’ll never miss out finding your favorite products register on the market website for the weekly email newsletter, or you can stay up-to-date using our interactive map and calendar. The market’s facebook has more information and weekly deals too. (www.facebook.com/SomervilleWinterFarmersMarket)  

 

 

Somerville Winter Farmers Vendors 2015-2016 season

 

Produce

Apex Orchards

Freedom Food Farm

Heron Pond Farm

Red Fire Farm

Misty Brook Farm

Mycoterra Mushroom Farm

Wintermoon Roots

 

Meat/Seafood

Lilac Hedge Farm

Stillman’s Quality Meats

Jordan Brothers Seafood

Misty Brook

 

Baked Goods:

Birch Tree Bread Company

Union Square Donuts

Dan’s Brick Oven Bread

 

Farm Wineries:

1634 Meadery

Carr’s Cider House

 

Cheese:

Chase Hill Farm

Foxboro Cheese Co.

 

Specialty Foods/Other:

Apothekers Chocolates

Ava’s Popcorn

Barismo

Blake Orchards Juicery

Boston Smoked Fish

Chica de Gallo

Deborah’s Kitchen

Doves and Figs

Q’s Nuts

Roving Lunch Box

Soluna Garden Farm

Spindler Confections

Stow Greenhouses

Taza Chocolate

Tex Mex Eats

Tipping Cow

Trill Foods

Valicenti Organico

 

Guest Vendors:

Baer’s Best Beans

Calcutta Curry

Camberville Dog Treats

Chocolats Passion

Fox Point Pickles

Handmade For

Harms Family Farm Maple Syrup

Jam Sessions

Kitchen Millie

Sa’s Homestyle

Scoop Sights

Sunny Knoll Farm Alpacas

Sweet Lydia’s

Top Shelf Cookies

 

 More details at http://www.somwintermarket.org and on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SomervilleWinterFarmersMarket