It was go-time for Fred Arbour on Thursday. As the Town’s market clerk, Arbour is responsible for operations at the Pelham Farmers’ Market, making sure vendors have been secured and set up on site at Pelham Town Square. It’s a job he has held for the past eight years.
He’s noticed over the past few years, things have been challenging for the market.
“We’ve had better times,” he said, shortly after an official “burlap cutting” ceremony kicked off this year’s market season, its 21st. “We would like to see some of those better times come back.”
The COVID-19 pandemic didn’t help the market and he believes it’s still recovering from the two-year shutdown, when large gatherings were restricted.
“It’s social as well,” he said of the market. “We’ve had people coming here for years. You’ll see people who have been here for a couple of hours and only have a couple of things they’ve purchased.”
This year’s market will feature 18 vendors spread over 20 stalls featuring a wide variety of items from fruits and vegetables to flowers and baked goods. At Thursday’s opening, 12 vendors were on hand.
One of them was Allison Paterson. It was her first time taking part in the market. She was busy serving customers interested in the bouquets from her business, From Eden & Co., which until recently was an online-only business.
“We just opened a storefront on Hwy. 20,” Paterson said, adding that the market will be a good way to promote the business.
“We’re just hoping to get the word out and to let people know we’re here.”
While Paterson is a newcomer to the market, it’s a different story for Anne Durst of Bry-Anne Farms. She and husband, Bryan, have been with the market since it began back in 2003.
“We do well,” she said.
They are a popular destination for people who come out to the market, something Durst attributes to the quality of their goods, whether it be an early crop like the rhubarb she was selling Thursday, or others that come along later, such as strawberries, potatoes or tomatoes.
“We have people who come and see us every year,” she said.
The Pelham Farmers’ Market operates from 4 p.m. to dusk every Thursday until Oct. 14. The market also offers space to non-profits organizations once per month to highlight their work in the community. Spaces are allotted on a first-come, first-served basis. More information is available at pelham.ca under the recreation and leisure tab.