Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources to kick off New Bedford Farmers Market Week

The Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR), John Lebeaux will be kicking off Farmers Market Week right here in New Bedford, on August 2nd at 2pm at Coastal Foodshed’s Brooklawn Park Farmers Market!

Coastal Foodshed will also be hosting a cooking demonstration by local chef and artist Rhonda Fazio, and live music from Hank and Tom, plus friends from Hula la. There will also be plenty of locally grown fruits and vegetables for sale, as well as other locally grown and made foods, including local beef, chicken, pork, honey, maple syrup, and salsa.

Farmers Market Week celebrates the important role that farmers play in our local economies – something that was highlighted over the past year during the pandemic. When you purchase local food, you are:

• Buying the freshest and most nutritious foods grown by local farmers
• Supporting farmers and strengthening the local food system – the pandemic made it clear that local food systems with short supply chains are resilient, and can respond and adapt quickly to change
• Investing in the health and strength of your own community, environment, and local economy

You can continue celebrating Farmers Markets Week all week with Coastal Foodshed! On Thursday, August 5, the Buttonwood Farmers Market is open from 2pm-6pm with additional farmers and food vendors and live music by Hank and Tom. Farmers and vendors include Brix Bounty Farm, Steven’s Farm Stand, Sampson Farm, the Neighbors Coffee & Co., Mimi’s Tie-Dye, People’s Pressed, and Buzzards Bay Bee.

And on Friday, August 6, you can attend the Clasky Common Farmers Market, open from 2pm-6pm, where you can buy local foods from Coastal Foodshed’s Mobile Farm Stand which sources fruits and vegetables, local meats, honey, and a number of other products from dozens of local farmers and food vendors.

If you can’t make it to one of the Farmers Markets, you can always shop local and support farmers through Coastal Foodshed’s Virtual Market which is open for shopping every Saturday at 8am until Monday at midnight. You can choose to have your local food delivered directly to your front door or you can pick it up at 38 Blackmer St. in New Bedford.

Coastal Foodshed’s mission is to strengthen the local food economy by making it easier for growers to sell, and consumers to buy, healthy, affordable, local foods. Coastal Foodshed works to increase public awareness and knowledge of health, nutrition, and sustainable agriculture, and to improve access.

To learn more about Coastal Foodshed and all of the different ways you can shop local, you can visit their website at coastalfoodshed.org, or find them on social media at @coastalfoodshed.