SALEM — Salem Main Streets is accepting applications for local farmers and food vendors to participate in the city’s farmers’ market for the 2022 summer season.
The farmers’ market will be held in Derby Square off of Front Street every Thursday, from 3-7 p.m. from June 9 to Oct. 13. All products must be grown in New England, and the market is looking for bread, cheese, and meat vendors especially this season.
“We are so proud of our market vendors, and we hope to see many returning to us at Derby Square this season, but we’re also always on the look-out for the next up and coming business,” said Salem Main Streets Executive Director Kylie Sullivan. “This is the perfect opportunity for newer businesses looking to get to the next level, as well as established businesses looking to reach a new audience.”
If a farmer is selling any products that were not grown by them, a farm of origin must be listed. Also, an item may only be listed as organic if it is certified. Those interested in selling non-farm products can apply as well. These products must be high quality, locally made, and the vendor must add 75 percent of the total value to the product.
Anyone interested in selling their products at the market is encouraged to apply. Applications will be accepted until March 16, and can be downloaded from www.salemfarmersmarket.org.
A 10-foot-by-10-foot booth spot costs $30 per week, a 10 foot-by-20-foot spot costs $60 per week, and a 10-foot-by-30-foot space costs $90 per week. However, there is a discount if a payment is made for the entire season.
“It really is worth visiting,” said Roseadela Manganello, who has had a booth at the market since 2018. “We have loved participating in the Salem Farmers’ Market. It is well organized, there are diverse offerings, a good crowd, and we have always been well received. Looking forward to the 2022 season.”
Manganello is the owner of Roseadela’s, which sells homemade and bottled coffee and tea drinks, lemonades, limeades, cocktail syrups and confits. Roseadela’s will be opening its first brick and mortar location in the city in April, and Manganello credited the market and Salem Main Streets for helping them get established and ready for the opportunity.
The mission of the Salem Farmers’ Market is to enhance the quality of life in the city’s downtown with community activity that fosters interaction and socialization, provide a convenient means of purchasing locally grown and produced products, and to support local producers and agriculture.
The market dates back to the year 1634. Its peak year was 1930, when nearly 10,000 people visited the market every Saturday. In the 1970s, the market closed and the Salem Redevelopment Authority redesigned the square into what is now Derby Square. Now, the market welcomes an average of more than 2,000 customers each week.
The Salem Farmers’ Market is made possible through Salem Main Streets, The Farmers’ Market Committee, and numerous volunteers. The volunteers help to set up and break down the market each week.
For more information on the market, or if interested in volunteering, email Sullivan at [email protected]g, or visit the Salem Farmers’ Market website at www.salemfarmersmarket.org.
