A Message from
Town Supervisor Philip H. Herrington
Farmers' Market
As you may have heard, this year the Town will be sponsoring, indeed, operating, a Farmers' Market. I and my colleagues on the Town Board have felt for some time that a Farmers' Market would be good for the Town. You may remember that, a few years ago, we sort of "half-heartedly and at the last minute" authorized a Farmers' Market to be held on the Keyes Lane Community Center grounds on the dates of the annual Summer Concerts. Needless to say, it never really got off the ground. This year, however, a great deal of planning has gone into the concept and we anticipate it will be a great success.
The Brunswick Farmer's Market will be held in the recently constructed parking lot annex at the Town Office. Located right on Route 7, the Market will be highly visible and well-situated. The Market will operate each Saturday from 9:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M., starting on June 6 and ending on September 26. Vendors will be permitted to sell locally grown produce as well as homemade food products, specialty breads, plants, flowers and the like. The Town Board has appointed a Farmers' Market Committee which was instrumental in the planning, and will now assist in the management, of the Market. The Committee will also study and assess the operation and make a detailed report to the Town Board. We have hired a Market Manager who will be responsible for the day-today operations. This is just a general description of the Market. Anyone interested may contact my office for a copy of the Market Rules & Regulations which contain much more detail.
A Farmer's Market is an excellent way to encourage folks to "buy local", eat good, fresh, wholesome food, support local farmers and merchants, and just to get out and meet with their friends and neighbors. We on the Town Board totally endorse the concept. I do want to point out, though, that it is a little unusual for a municipality to actually operate a Farmers Market. Usually, a group of individuals who wish to participate in a Farmers' Market get together and form a Farmers' Market Association, which operates the Market. The municipality in which the Market is located may, typically, provide some modest support, or a "relaxation" of zoning and planning requirements, but the Market essentially finances and governs itself. Frankly, that is the best way to proceed. We are a little uncomfortable expending public funds, and allowing the use of public property, to encourage commercial enterprises. We are doing so in this case partly because we feel the "community" aspects of the Market outweigh the "commercial" aspects, but mainly because the Town's operation of the Market will very likely be limited to this year. It is our hope that the Market will be such a great success that interested vendors will, indeed, form a Farmers' Market Association which will operate the Market next year and in the future. If, after this summer, it does not appear that the interest is there, from both the vendors and the public, to make the Market self-sustaining, that may well be the end of it.
On a totally unrelated note, on the eve of the Memorial Day holiday, I want to encourage all of you to visit the Veterans' Memorial Park we built on Route 2, just east of Eagle Mills. Even from the road, the design and landscaping of the Park are absolutely striking. It is a beautiful and fitting tribute to the men and women who have served in our Armed Forces. So many people had a hand in making this Park a reality, including local veterans, and town, county and state elected and appointed officials, that I don't want to mention names, lest I forget someone. So I'll just thank our veterans, many of whom made the ultimate sacrifice fighting to maintain our way of life, and leave it at that. Have a safe and happy Memorial Day, and a great summer. I hope to see you all at the Summer Concerts, the Town Beach and, of course, the Farmers' Market.
©
2009
Town of Brunswick
336 Town Office Road, Troy, New York 12180
Telephone: 518/279-3461 FAX : 518/279-4352
Write the Town