Pawtucket Wintertime Farmers Market: Local, Sustainable, and Enjoyable

Upon taking a visit to the Pawtucket Wintertime Farmers Market I was pretty unsure what to expect. I certainly had never been to farmers markets in the wintertime and typically they were relatively small locations with perhaps a couple dozen vendors. With that being said, the Pawtucket Wintertime Farmers Market surpassed all my expectations. The Hope Artiste Village is a truly amazing location with the high brick walls of the old mill perfectly concealing the vast amount of home town merchants and browsing eyes of local consumers looking for fresh and friendly alternatives. The wide hallways in which the vendors lined give the consumer experience a rustic feel that a farmers market should convey which only adds to the experience. After having myself a great cup of coffee upon arriving on the chilly Saturday morning I was excited to browse all the tables and stands to see what these local entrepreneurs had to offer.

Now, I must admit that I am a pretty big pickle fan so naturally one of the first vendors I found myself being drawn to was Tracie from Harmony Hill Farm, primarily due to the abundance of pickles in which her table held. Harmony Hill Farm is located locally in Glocester, RI and they have been actively selling their produce for approximately six years to date. Initially, only selling eggs, the farm began to grow to a point in which they now sell everything from eggs to pickles, cucumbers, and peppers to jams and jelly's. The coolest thing about Harmony Hill Farm is their simplistic efforts to stay sustainable. They take efforts as easy as recycling their egg cartons, saving plastic bags from grocery stores and even building relationships with their customers to a point in which mason jars are returned after use. With their business expanding and a full-time effort needed to be successful, all efforts to remain sustainable, big or small, can make a significant impact.

Being from upstate New York, I can certainly appreciate the warmth that a nice winter hat can provide during the winter. Which is precisely why one of my next stops was at a table piled high with variously colored hats, mittens and scarves. Obviously having to try out a pair of mittens for myself I was taken back at just how soft and comfortable the material was. Moonlight Rose Alpacas is a farm from Swansea, MA that specializes in the breeding and selling of alpacas and the products produced from their fibers. From what I learned, alpacas (which resemble small llamas) are used for the tremendous qualities that their fibers bear in creating yarn used to make the incredibly soft material in which their products possess. Thus, Moonlight Rose Alpaca Farm is able to successfully bring a unique element to the market place by substituting the typically found food products with some fashionable and warm apparel.

Taking a trip to Pawtucket Farmers Market is something I strongly suggest to all types and ages, whether you're a college student looking for a fresh alternative to the dining hall, a produce connoisseur, or just looking to get the family out of the house on a weekend. It is certainly a beautiful place to visit where you can enjoy your morning and support your community.

Thanks for reading!

-Billy Carroll 

Follow our class on twitter (@bryantmkt421) as we embark on a trip to Costa Rica to get a hands on learning experience in the field of sustainability. 

Farmer Market Vendors

Pawtucket Wintertime Farmers Market located in the Hope Artiste Village (1005 Main St., Pawtucket, RI) was the first farmer’s market that I have been into that was located indoors.  Hope Artiste Village is a very cute mill that has a creative mix of art studios, café, and some retail shops.  While looking at different vendors I decided to walk into one of the art studio; One Way Gallery Hope is a doing a solo opening reception on “No Rest For The Wicked” by the artist Reason.  So if you have the chance, you should definitely check out his artworks because it is amazing! 

Pawtucket Wintertime Farmers Market is a good place to go with your friends and family to either browse or shop because they have so much variety to choose from.  The two vendors that I cam across was Eva Ruths and Jack's Snacks.

Eva Ruths

Eva Ruths is a bakery that is located in Middletown RI and they are known for their wheat free and gluten free products.  This bakery caught my attention because I used to work at a gluten free bakery in New York.  The owner Christian and I started talking about the gluten free products and I got to try one of their gluten free raspberry muffins and it was delicious!

Eva Ruths is sustainable because not only do they go to different farmers markets and own a bakery.  But they also retail to many supermarkets, which is located here if you ever want to purchase their baked goods.  The products usually range from $4.00-$12.00, which is very reasonable for specialty goods.  All the products are handmade year round and all the essential products for the food is purchased at Restaurant Depot, which is a wholesale store for restaurant owners who needs to purchase products in larger quantities. 

Jack's Snacks

Jack’s Snacks is another vendor located in Warwick, RI.  I was browsing for some dog treats for my dog Vince and we both realized that we both own rescued pit mix.  Some people believe that pit bulls are a vicious breed; so meeting another owner who rescued this loving breed makes me happy and I knew I had to buy some of the biscuits for my dog.  I ended up buying the garlic chicken flavor biscuits for my dog and as you can see in the photo Vince is the happiest dog on the planet!   

Not only do they sell dog snacks, but they also collaborate with vendors from the New England area and sell some of their dog accessories.  If you like to spoil your dog with handmade biscuits, you should definitely check out Jack’s Snacks!The prices range from .75 cents-$21.00 depending on what you purchase.

Fun Fact:

• She would have not started her business if it were not for her loving dog Jack!
• Jack had a big influence on the different flavors of biscuits
• All of the biscuits that are out of season (holiday theme snacks) and also the biscuits that are about to expire go to the local Animal Shelter.
•  They now create birthday cakes for do

      These two companies sell similar products, but target to different customers. Both companies sell freshly baked goods and sell it around the Rhode Island area.  Not only that, but they support other New England businesses by selling other company products or just by having their products in other local stores.  You guys should definitely check out these stores because their products are amazing.

-Ellissa Cho

Follow us on Twitter at @BryantMKT421

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How Local Vendors are Sustainable

December 6, 2014 – I did not know I would rediscover my passion for sustainability practices from visiting this unique and fascinating Pawtucket Wintertime Market located at the Hope Artiste Village in Pawtucket RI. I have been to a handful of farmers market before and have volunteered at Thai Craft Organization, a non-profit organization that supports Thai local artisans to be self-sufficient. During my visit to the Pawtucket Wintertime Market, I talked to two vendors: Apponagansett Farm and BABS.

Apponagansett Farm

Apponagansett Farm is a family farm located in Dartmouth, MA. All their products are of high quality and sustainably grown. Their crops are grown without synthetic chemicals that can be harmful to the environment. Their pasture raised eggs come from hens that are raised on free-range and fed organic and GMO-free grain.

I was particularly interested in their pasture raised eggs because I have been to a farm where hens are raised in a coop. I wondered how this difference could make one egg better than the other egg. To test my hypothesis, I bought a dozen of eggs from the vendor and gave it a try. I can conclude that the eggs taste more delicious and the yolks are golden, making it perfect for a sunny side.     

On a supply chain, this vendor is also a producer. They grow their own crops and raise free-range hens. All their products are sold at their community supported agriculture, farm stand, farmers market and local natural food stores. Sustainability is communicated since the start of the supply chain since they are a producer themselves. As they sell their products, they inform their customers about how their products are sustainably grown.  

Interesting Fact:

The 150 hens on the farm are protected by a small number of roosters

BABS

BABS is a small retailer located in Hope Artiste Village in Pawtucket, RI. The owners, Gail Solomon and Barbara Materna, design and make handmade handbag collections in-store. The material used in these handbags come from Asia, Germany, Peru and Italy. 

During our conversation, Gail brought up an organization, Aide to Artisans. It is a non-profit organization that brings American designers and artisans to help artisans in third world countries to better market and bring their products back to the United States to be sold. They hope to help local artisans be economically sufficient. Within the local community, Gail and Barbara hope to offer jobs along the way by opening a place, because as of now, they outsource the handbag handles to be made by a third party.

On a supply chain, BABS is a retailer and a producer. Although the raw material used in the handbags are from other producers from around the world, Gail and Barbara make these handbags themselves. From the point of producing the bags up until the point of selling them, it is under the control of Gail and Barbara to communicate their passion for sustainability and handcrafts to customers through their amazing collections. 

Interesting Fact:

Barbara is a writer 

Gail is a graphic designer

Both vendors are producers and retailers. They have the advantage of relaying their passion and information on sustainability to their customers since they make and sell their own products. Based on the conversations I had with these two vendors, Apponagansett Farm has a higher commitment to sustainability than BABS. All in all, both vendors are committed to keeping their products local, giving back to the community and being sustainable.  

Written by Eaindra Aung

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