With the safety of national food production and distribution in question in the wake of a nationwide outbreak of cyclosporiasis cases caused by a parasite, some Franklin County farmers markets are seeing increased interest from shoppers who want to know exactly where their produce is coming from.
“It is so important to celebrate our local farmers markets, especially at a time when there’s uncertainty and nervousness around the health of our national food system,” Mass Farmers Markets Executive Director Edith Murnane said in a statement.
To encourage people to shop local and to celebrate local food producers, Gov. Maura Healey declared Aug. 2 to 8 as Massachusetts Farmers Market Week. The week is held annually.
“Markets do not happen without our farmers and market managers across the commonwealth,” Murnane added. “We are the beneficiaries of their hard work, often unpaid, to bring fresh, healthy, local food to our communities. Our farmers and market managers are the rock stars of our local food system.”
Jenny Harrison Vanderbilt, manager of the Great Falls Farmers Market in Turners Falls, said this year has been busier so far compared to previous market seasons, which she believes is due to an increasing desire among consumers to shop local.
“It’s been a good season. We’ve been a little busier this season than last year,” Harrison Vanderbilt said. “I think people are valuing shopping local.”
The Great Falls Farmers Market takes place on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Peskeompskut Park on Avenue A. Harrison Vanderbilt said the market has flexible agreements with its vendors, resulting in variability in how many vendors attend and what is sold from one week to the next.
However, she said there is always locally grown produce, eggs and other market staples. Some vendors who come on a biweekly, monthly or even more sporadic schedule will bring baked goods, jams and jellies, maple products, honey, woven goods, prints, jewelry such as spoon rings and more.
There is always a strong interest in produce, Harrison Vanderbilt, but more so this year, people are glad to have local options.
“There was one week someone came specifically looking for local lettuce,” Harrison Vanderbilt said. “They’re really grateful to have locally grown produce and be able to ask questions of the farmers about the produce.”
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has identified more than 18,000 cases of domestic cyclosporiasis this season, which resulted in voluntary recalls of lettuce from Taylor Farms. Cyclosporiasis is the illness associated with cyclospora, a microscopic parasite that is generally transmitted when infected feces contaminates food or water.
The illness causes diarrhea, loss of appetite, weight loss, stomach cramps/pain, bloating, increased gas, nausea, fatigue, vomiting and fever. On Monday, the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services announced that two people in the state had died in connection with the illness.
There was one week someone came specifically looking for local lettuce. They’re really grateful to have locally grown produce and be able to ask questions of the farmers about the produce.”
Jenny Harrison Vanderbilt, great falls farmers market manager
“Here’s how it happens: crops are grown on vast farms, and then they are washed and packaged in immense processing facilities where they co-mingle with crops from many other farms,” Claire Morenon, communications manager with the South Deerfield-based Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA), wrote in a recent blog post. “Then they’re shipped from coast to coast. Wherever the point of contamination happens — whether it’s in the field or in the processing facility — the scale of these systems means that an outbreak can affect thousands of people nationwide.”
Morenon wrote that local farms are not immune to food safety concerns, but CISA frequently provides farmers with training on safety, and by buying local, shoppers can gain a better understanding of the distribution system that the products have gone through, which limits risks.
“Food grown on a farm here in Massachusetts and sold directly to you at a farmers market, farm stand or through your CSA has not intersected with the system that perpetuated this cyclospora contamination. This is also true of food grown on a local farm and sold directly to a local grocer, restaurant or distributor,” Morenon wrote. “This is a great argument for supporting local farmers all the time — not just in response to a crisis. A robust network of thriving, well-supported local farms provides much-needed food when our global food system, which is so efficient but also can be brittle, falters.”
Barbara Goodchild, who manages the Shelburne Falls Farmers Market, said she’s observed a slower year due to the market losing some vendors and going through a period of restructuring, but vendors and shoppers continue to come to the market because they like to know who is growing the food they eat.
“It’s all local goods, and the farmers that are growing the produce and meat are very conscientious of how they grow their produce,” Goodchild said. “People shopping at farmers markets know where it’s coming from and can ask questions about it.”
The Shelburne Falls Farmers Market is open on Fridays from 2 to 6:30 p.m. through the end of October at the corner of Main and Water streets. Goodchild said vendors offer produce, meat and dairy products, maple products, and body care items such as lotions and soaps.
In a statement, Ashley Randle, commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR), said Massachusetts ranks fifth nationwide in direct market sales, with farms generating more than $254 million in annual revenue by selling directly to consumers, including through farmers markets.
“The vast majority of our farms are small to mid-scale operations that rely heavily on direct-to-consumer sales to thrive, and we’re proud that here in Massachusetts, direct sales, including at farmers markets, account for a high percentage of farm revenues,” Randle said. “They allow producers the opportunity to sell direct while giving families a window into how their food is grown, building a more resilient agricultural economy and local food system.”
“When you come to the farmers market, you’re supporting local families,” Harrison Vanderbilt said. “You’re not giving your money to some unknown source. When you’re spending money locally, it’s staying locally.”
She said the Great Falls Farmers Market has been “leaning into” the community aspect and hosting extra events, such as a few weeks ago, when a potluck lunch was held during the market. On Saturday, Aug. 29, during the regularly scheduled market, children will be invited to sell products of their own.
“Farmers markets are some of the best places to experience the incredible products grown right here in Massachusetts,” Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll said in a statement. “They bring neighbors together, help small farms and local businesses thrive, and connect more families with fresh, locally grown food. During Farmers Market Week, we encourage everyone to visit their local market and support the farmers who help feed our communities.”
