Farmers' Market Returns to Chelmsford Next Week

The Chelmsford Summer Farmers' Market returns to the Town Common for its sixth year next week, with more than 30 vendors already scheduled throughout the season, and more possibly on the way.

According to Farmers' Market co-organizer Fran MacDougall, this year's crop of vendors is the largest so far in the Market's history, continuing a weekly event that is quickly becoming a regular weekly summer tradition for anyone in the center of town and beyond.

"The town loves it, people in our town love fresh produce, they love the idea (of a market)," says McDougall. "It's become a place where you can hang out on a Thursday afternoon."

While the Farmers' Market has become something of a controversial topic nearby in Westford due to traffic, parking and safety concerns, cooperation from organizations surrounding the Common have helped alleviate those concerns in Chelmsford.

McDougall and fellow Market organizer Kathy O'Brien were also quick to point out that the Market does not take, or give, any money to the town, operating solely on donations and table fees.

The pair have seen the same core of local vendors return each year, but hopes are high that eventually the market could grow to provide more variety for patrons, although they realize that variety must be balanced with making it worthwhile for businesses at the Market.

"We'd need to have twice as many vendors in order to have two venders selling the same type of product any given week," said O'Brien. "If we had three or four vendors all selling the same product, no vendors would come."

The current crop of businesses scheduled to sell their wares this summer range from some of Chelmsford's own such as Keyk's Bakery, the Meat House and Parlee Farms to other nearby groups such as Bagel Alley, Monadnock Berries and Lyn-Dell Farm.

The Market will open on June 20 and continue until October 3, running each week from 2 to 6:30 p.m.

Anyone interested in volunteering for the Market can reach McDougall and O'Brien by e-mailing chelmsfordfarmersmarket@gmail.com