Copley Square Farmers Market vendors are adapting to the changing post-COVID-19 landscape


In the heart of the Back Bay is the Copley Square Farmers Market, one of the largest farmers markets in Massachusetts. Full of pigeons, tourists and locals, it includes farmers, artisans and other food producers. Despite the gray sky on Tuesday, October 8, vegetables burst from baskets in bright colors. Open from 11am to 6pm on Tuesdays and Fridays, this market located amidst busy streets encourages customers to slow down and check out each tent. At one end of the block, an Indian food stall provides a quick meal of steamed dal and rice. Honey and other bee products – candles, beeswax skin care and pollen – are displayed on another.

Becca Handford, Key Market Manager massive farmers marketSaid the market offers more than just fresh produce.

“Sometimes we do chef demos,” Handford said. “Last year, Halloween fell on a Tuesday, so we had pumpkin painting and little trick-or-treat candies for the kids.”

Originally located in Copley Square, the market moved across the street to McKim Plaza outside the Boston Public Library last yearDue to renovation of Copley Square Park. Becky Stillman's Stillman FarmsOne vendor, who has contributed to the Copley Square Farmers Market for more than a decade, said he saw the move as significantly weakening the market.

“As the market moves forward, it's here, but it's not at the strength it used to be,” Stillman said. “COVID took a huge toll on farms and farmers markets in general. We got displaced – we used to be across the street – [and] Which had an impact on us.”

Forming a line in front of her tent, Stillman chatted with customers she has known for years. Stillman Farms does its own retail business, he said. They don't sell in supermarkets. To them, farmers markets, though physically taxing, are worth it for the customers.

CopleySquareMarket 10 26 24 NiaCalais 9
A buyer buys hot food. Vendors and market goers alike enjoyed interacting and building relationships. (Nia Calais)

“You know enough about them that you can personalize your sales with them and have good conversations. People who shop at farmers markets are very comfortable and very aware of farming, what goes into farming and sustainability,” Stillman said. “So you can have some good conversations about what's going on on your farm and all that. ,

Stillman Quality Meats, part of the larger Stillman Farms, sells a range of high quality meats that they grow themselves.

“We are the only small cattle producer who has our own processing plant. Everyone else cuts their meat at the slaughterhouse, packages it and sends it back frozen, Stillman said. This allows them to sell a variety of meat products ranging from holiday turkeys to over 150 varieties of sausages.

There's a tent a few feet down from Stillman's. Kimball Fruit FarmWhich began as a wholesale apple farm and has since expanded to include other produce and an on-site farm stand. This is its first year participating in the Copley Square Farmers Market, although it participates in up to 10 other farmers markets a week.

“Traditionally, we haven't had farmers markets where we can't stock our trucks right here with overstock. With this, we have to be extremely creative about putting [stock] Below [the tables],'' said David Wadley, one of the owners of Kimball Fruit Farms. However, the effort is worth it, as they estimate that about 80% of their income comes from farmers markets.

“We operate in 13 markets this year,” said Elsa Leteren, who works for the company. Hi-Rise Bread CompanyA family-owned bakery in Cambridge. Its tent is located right across from the Boston Public Library and features a glass case of tempting pastries and loaves.

“It's not my favorite market, but out of all the markets we work in, the best thing about it is the people who work here, especially the other vendors, and that's why I love it,” he said. Lateran said that with the abundance of tourists, many people are simply passing through and often not explicitly to buy goods.

Greg Suplinskas, co-owner Stoneside Flower FarmA two-acre cut flower field in Dartmouth echoes this statement.

“It becomes difficult to transport flowers to the market sometimes. There are a lot of tourists here, and there are other people who can't go home directly. So they can't always carry flowers with them,'' he said. Suplinskas said he also knows many customers who come with the express intention of grocery shopping.

For vendors like Stillman and Wadleigh, the Copley Square Farmers Market offers more than a place to sell their goods – it's an opportunity to build lasting relationships with customers. Despite the challenges of the location and the fluctuating numbers of visitors, it remains a valued destination for both locals and tourists. As farming continues to face difficulties even after the pandemic, the market seems to have become more important.

“The farmers market is a hard life,” Stillman said. “They are very tiring. [We] There are many farmers markets, probably six out of seven days a week. It is intense. You can deliver products to them, but you have to support customers in person. But once you get here and get established, being able to have personal contact with each client is really special.

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