Getting back to the garden

Food scares, economy drive consumers to farmers markets

Middleborough vegetable farmer David Purpura says more and more people are asking about local produce. (Bill Polo/Globe Staff/File)

Farmers and their wares are becoming increasingly popular with the region's city and suburban slickers. Farmers markets across the state are celebrating their most successful year ever, with 25 new operations, as consumers respond to worries over food safety, high prices at supermarkets, and energy use.

"There are more markets than farmers," said Barbara Anglin, who manages the Plymouth Farmers Market.

"More and more people are asking about local produce," said Middleborough vegetable farmer David Purpura, who acknowledged that bad news about food safety turns some shoppers to food grown close to home. "Salmonella scares are good for business," Purpura said.

Federal advisories against eating raw tomatoes earlier this year focused public attention on sources of produce.

But customers are also responding to the ambience and healthy offerings at farmers markets. They offer "an enjoyable experience supporting local businesses and open space. It's fun, it's a good way to shop, and the food tastes great," said David Webber, farmers markets coordinator for the state.

This season's new markets, bringing the total to 164, continue a strong growth trend for state agriculture, an industry long in decline whose rebound state officials are trying to encourage for both economic and environmental reasons. Proclaiming last week Farmers Market Week, Governor Deval Patrick praised the markets for ensuring both urban and rural residents access to quality food "locally grown using environmentally sound methods." The markets also promote "public awareness of the agricultural diversity of Massachusetts and the benefits of buying local and preserving open space," Patrick stated.

The number of farmers markets offering locally grown produce has nearly doubled in the past five years, Webber said. He estimated they do $10 million to $12 million in business a year.

In this area, new markets opened this year in Canton and Dedham and a second market opened in Plymouth, bringing the total to 17.

The new Saturday morning market in Plymouth's Courthouse Green draws about 300 shoppers. The Thursday market, which began four years ago, draws 500 to 600 customers.

Beyond publicity about problems in mass-marketed food, other factors are driving interest in locally grown food. "Customers have an awareness that this food is safer, but also a better value," Anglin said.

Like many other regional growers, Purpura travels to two farmers markets a week.

Regional markets have their own steady vendors and atmosphere. Some, like Carver's, provide musical entertainment and host crafters as well as growers.

With a dozen or so vendors, Quincy's Friday market features a produce farmer from Middleborough, a baker from Newton, two men selling vegetables grown in Hyde Park, an egg farmer, a goat farmer selling cheese, a greenhouse, plus offerings from several bakers, a tea house, and a florist.

Other markets, like the one in Plymouth on Thursday afternoons at Stephens Field, nestle into park-like settings. Regular vendors there include produce farmers from Plympton, Middleborough, and Carver, a cheese maker, a local flower grower, a Carver nursery, and a handful of bakers.

Carver's Sunday farmers market is offering buffalo meat this year, along with fresh local vegetables and fruits, eggs, jams, jellies, sauces, home-baked goods, flowering plants and herbs, and craft items.

The trend toward locally grown food has helped revive long-running markets in Marshfield and Hingham, too, Anglin said.

With fall breezes chilling the air and tomatoes ripening in local fields, the local produce season is just beginning for many. "I think the corn is even sweeter now," Anglin said.

Robert Knox can be contacted at rc.knox@gmail.com.