A Big Thank You to All For A Wonderful Market Season!

It was quite a season for the Wakefield Farmers Market, with the best streak of good weather on Saturday mornings we could ask for. But, beyond noting that bit of good luck, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone in town who helped create another wonderful market season for all to enjoy.

We have great farmers, specialty food vendors, and artisans whose products are raised or made with great care and thus are always top-notch in quality. But, if not for the season-long support of the community there would be no market venue. Our vendors are always telling me how nice the people who shop at the market are and how so many do their best to shop every week and purchase items from as many vendors as possible. Please know that your support is greatly appreciated and also is crucial to the ongoing success of our market.

As always, I‘d like to thank Town Counsel Tom Mullen for making sure all the legalities were in order, and the Board of Selectmen, who approved both the yearly contract and the wine sales application with full support.

While I did not need to reach out to the DPW this season, Rick Stinson has been great over the years and I know that I can count on his assistance when things come up.

I’d also like to send a special shout out to Steve Maio for his ongoing support of the market and prompt attention to my inquiries, as well as for running that ice cream truck out of the Vet’s Field parking lot one market day.

Throne Depot also deserves a big shout out for ensuring that our vendors had a pleasant facility on the premises, even when vandals caused last-minute issues here and there. I greatly thank Ed Hartnett and all for always making things right, even on a Saturday morning, not a time when the company usually services units.

We had our share of construction adventures this year with all the work that WMGLD has been doing along North Ave. The police on duty and the construction workers on the job on a market day earlier this summer were very helpful as folks maneuvered around the work being done, making for a much more pleasant day for all.

And, while I was rather alarmed a few weeks ago upon realizing the extent of the next stage of WMGLD work taking place in the market area, I was quickly assured by Peter Dion and Carl Lemiesz that there would as little disruption as possible at Hall Park, especially on market days, and that was certainly the case. We are, of course, sad that the big tree had to go, but there was a silver lining in that we no longer had to lug everything over a fence when setting up and breaking down.

The biggest thanks go, of course, to all the volunteers whose help is vital to the success of the market. My biggest accolades go to Cathy Wensley. Cathy has been involved with the market from its inception and has been the “right hand woman” to Kelli Stromski and Maura Racamato, who did a super job building and co- managing the market during its first two seasons, and to me during these past three seasons. Along with spending many hours working at the market, Cathy was almost always able to pick up the highway and roadside signs at the end of the day, a lifesaver for this Market Manager!

This year, new volunteer Michelle Leahy became another key assistant, often helping the whole day, from set-up to breakdown, and working at the Manager table in between.

Big thanks go also to all the other volunteers who gave their time and energy as they were able, including Dianna Boothe, Bill Chetwynd, Erin Dancy, Christina Dellacroce, Robin Greenberg, Jackie Millinor, Maura Racamato, Marietta Schwartz, Kelli Stromski, Kristin Suitter, and Missy Thomson. Behind the scenes, Sarah Lynne Reul did the research and outreach that brought Jane Hammer and her great food preservation demonstration to the market, as well as, as a side benefit, her son Fiddlin’ Quinn.

Speaking of musicians, I’d also like to thank local musicians Kevin G. Moore, Ed Britt and Don Borchelt, Chris LaVancher, and Audie Bridges, the latter with his son Zack and Curtis Doo in Betty’s Bounce and also with Steve Tapper, for great music on a number of market days.

And, finally, I would like to thank my husband Steve Breton for all of his help and support, as well as for being fine with me taking over the minivan for the market season so it didn’t have to be totally unloaded and reloaded each week.

Again, thank you to everyone – it takes a great community to make a great market.

Wendy Dennis
Market Manager