Farmers Market Event Planning Drop-In Discussion THIS FRIDAY

Rope-making hands-on demonstration at the 2014 Farmers Market Black Sheep Festival.

Do you have any ideas for events, activities, entertainment, etc. you’d like to see at the Farmers Market this summer? Would you like to volunteer to do a demo or organize an event? Then drop by the Village Room  (lower level, 912 City Road) between 10am and noon this Friday, January 16 to help plan music, demos, hands-on learning, kids’ activities, themed walks, and festivals like the Black Sheep Festival and Fairy Festival.

This open planning event is being hosted by the Manchester District Library and the Manchester Farmers Market. Refreshments will be provided. If you can’t attend, but have ideas or would like to volunteer, email Ruth VanBoglen at farmersmarket48158@gmail.com or call and leave a message at 734-428-7872.

Last year, the Manchester District Library working in conjunction with the Farmers Market and the Community Garden Committee hosted multiple presenters, demos, and hands-on activities- many gardening and science related- including square-foot gardening, rain gardens, guerrilla gardening, how to use fresh herbs in cooking, ways to eat a pumpkin, salad in jar, foraging, hand-on science for kids and how to build water rockets. They are interested in expanding out beyond these topics this year and want to hear YOUR ideas.

The 2015 Manchester Farmers Market will run Thursdays May 7 – October 8 from 4 – 7 pm. Although the Farmers Market doesn’t start up until May, a few pre-Farmers Market workshops are being considered for February, March and April. These include: 1) Ideas for becoming a vendor at a Farmers Markets (kids would be welcome), 2) Strategies for selling at the Farmers Market and 3) Why and how to shop at Farmers Markets. If you would be interested attending one or all of these, please email Ruth at the above address.

The Farmers Market is currently hiring a market manager for next summer. If you would like more information, click HERE.

Little fairy at the 2014 Farmers Market Fairy Festival.

Crowd gathered to watch a sheep-shearing demonstration at the 2014 Farmers Market Black Sheep Festival.

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by Sara Swanson

Sara Swanson is an editor, writer and founder of the Manchester Mirror.