The Franklin Reporter & Advocate Eight Villages, One Community
The township observed the end of National Farmers Market Week Aug. 11 with a special versio of its own market.
Organized by the Farmers market Coalition, National Farmers Market Week “is a great opportunity to show the nation how much value markets bring to their communities,” according to the organization’s web site.
Rainy weather pushed the market from the municipal complex field into the Senior/Community Center, but the venue change didn’t affect the celebration, said Saffie Kallon, the township’s special projects manager.
Kallon said the township wanted to close out National Farmers Market Week with “kids’ activities, our regular vendors, samples, tastings, demos, that sort of thing.”
Two of the market’s regular vendors, Snyder’s Farm and Pig Nut Farm, donated the food that was transformed into samples, she said.
“So we gave out samples of different types of sausages, blueberry chutney, roast pork, different types of watermelon, tomato and basil and mozzarella,” said Tara Kenyon, the township’s open space consultant.
Members of the Franklin Township Youth Council were also on hand to lead children through various games and activities.
There were also some organizations that took tables just for the observance, Kenyon said.
“The Meadows Foundation is here, this is the first time they’ve been here,” she said. The township’s Shade Tree Advisory Committee and Second Chance for Animals sporadically attend the farmers market, but made sure they were there for the observance, she said.
“The Somerset County Planning Commission, they’ve never been here before,” she said. “They’re using it to get feedback for their walking and biking study.”
Township police were also on hand to speak with residents, Kallon said.
The township’s farmers market will continue to be at the corner of DeMott Lane and Amwell Road from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays through Sept. 15. On Sept. 22, the market’s last day of the season, it will move to a special location in Colonial Park, in conjunction with Franklin Day.
Kallon said the market has been doing well this season, averaging between 300 and 400 visitors a week.
A new addition, she said, is the Farmers market newsletter, in which news about the market is presented, as well as recipes and other information.
Kenyon said this year has seem more community organizations participating, “which is great.”
