Lasting Impressions: Reflections on Market Season
The end of October means the end of outdoor market season here in the Upper Valley. For the spring, summer, and fall I’ve spent my Thursdays and Saturdays attending the Lebanon and Norwich Farmers Markets. Through rain or shine, my fellow farmers and I have pitched tents, set up displays, and conversed with all of you.
I have been attending markets for Cedar Circle since my second year here, back in 2020. Markets looked a little different then, but the general feeling of them hasn’t changed much! There is an air of gladness and gratitude in the air, a joy at the bounty that our small part of the world can produce, and the people we get to share it with. There is the constant hum of music and background chatter, folks catching up with each other, and speaking with vendors about their products. It is truly a happy place to be.
After finishing my degree in Environmental Science and Anthropology this spring, I dove into my market role at Cedar Circle. My main goal was to bring more of our mission to market; at its core, the mission revolves around education and engagement with farmers/farming, particularly with groups of people who don’t get this sort of engagement on a daily basis. In thinking about how to maximize our already-brief interactions with the many market-goers, I was looking to make a simple lasting impression. I thought a lot about why I loved the market: the relaxed atmosphere, and the opportunity to engage with so many new things, either up close or from afar, was important. But most of all, I wanted people to feel the same excitement I did when I saw beautiful produce!
But as is often the case, things we don’t know much about can intimidate us. A vegetable you’ve never cooked or a fruit you’ve never heard of is bound to stop you from fully appreciating what farms have to offer. So how could we attempt to remedy this? With a simple, yet profound concept: trying new things. This market season, Upper Valley residents proudly faced their fears and tried a multitude of new fruits and veggies. Whether cut into slices and accompanied by yummy dip or spread made by our kitchen, or cooked in a simple but delicious recipe, such as kale chips and roasted eggplant, they persisted.
However, my favorite part of the whole summer was what we offered people in return for asking them to try something new. Universally loved, easy to use, and cute to boot, were our temporary tattoos! They are sourced from the wonderfully named Tater Tats, whose concept is simple: “vegetables you can wear.” We gleefully handed out tiny, wearable produce – from pumpkins, blueberries, squash, strawberries, and more – to anyone who was willing to Try-A-Taste (TAT!).
It was a truly joyful experience to watch people of all ages trying new produce. And whether they loved it or not, we still got that moment of interaction to further connect with our community. We’ll be bringing that same energy in May of next year, and we can’t wait to see you there!
