Mary Penney, Montgomery Friends of Open Space Inc.
To the editor:
Montgomery Friends of Open Space is genuinely grateful for the community’s support of the Montgomery Friends Seasonal Farmers Market located at the Village Shopper on Route 206. Local support for family owned and operated farms has endured for many years in Montgomery Township, and the Saturday morning farmers market brings the support full circle. Thank you to our customers, local merchants, and the close knit Montgomery community for believing in us and making the farmers market a destination every Saturday morning from June to October.
Each season, our neighbors anxiously await the fresh-from-the field tomatoes, crisp and crunchy apples, creamy whole milk cheese, herb- flavored chicken sausage, pies, artisanal baked breads, and leafy veggies that appear – as if by magic every Saturday morning in the little tree-lined parking lot across from Shop Rite and the theatre. To make all of this happen requires a team of people who rise early and bring all the ingredients together for a lovely market day. The farmers market is a place where people are genuinely interested in knowing where their food is grown, and have a love of the simple, straightforward act of working the soil and awaiting the sun, rain and growing cycle to taste the rich rewards.
Thank you to our neighbors who came out and supported the concept of shop local. Without all of you, there would not be a farmers market in Montgomery. Heartfelt thanks also go to the sponsors of the market that make it possible to operate the weekly market: to cover costs to advertise; to bring in musicians and bands; paying labor costs; and purchasing tents and supplies. The market sponsorships provide seed money to enable the Friends to operate the market. Thank you to the businesses and individuals giving back to the community through financial support of the 2013 Farmers Market: Radiation Data, Princeton Orthopaedic Associates, Rotary Club of Montgomery and Rocky Hill, Somerset County Board of Agriculture, Maxine Baicker, Elise Murray, Mary and Gary Reece, Ed and Jaci Trzaska, Louise and Cliff Wilson, and Bill Manning and the Vermont Leadership Center for Agriculture, Arts and Environment (the owner of the Cedar Shed and Christmas Tree Business at Village Shopper II). Thanks to our dedicated market manager Lorette Pruden, student helpers, Dan Penney, Jeremy McKeegan, Sufyan Sqalli, Matt McKeegan, Robert Zauner, plus many, volunteers from Montgomery Friends of Open Space Board of Trustees, and the Center for Spiritual Living. Everyone has been terrific!
The Montgomery Friends Farmers Market symbolizes the great aspects about living in Montgomery Township: appreciation of small town life, community spirit, and respect for our state’s farming heritage and the hard work required to grow and harvest healthy food.
Mary Penney
Montgomery Friends of Open Space Inc.
