Empowerment Overcomes Winter

 

Who'd think that on a grey snowy morning after storms left New Hampshire in a state of emergency, that people would have the energy or interest to go out in the weather to a Winter Farm Market? But here we were, about a hundred cars strong and two hundred or more attendees, enjoying the indoor Winter Farm Market at Coles Gardens in Concord NH.

This is a great case of empowerment. Joan O'Connor, of Joan's Famous Composting Worms, so enjoyed the summer farmer market in Concord that she wanted to continue it. She solicited friends, and sought a location that would work in January through March.  Cole Gardens looked like a great spot. Locals are familiar with it, Cole already does things with and for Concord, and they had lots of indoor greenhouse space.  Here's Joan hard at work with her composting worms.

What a match made in heaven! With all the Cole Garden infrastructure (cut flowers, garden tools and ornaments, great collection of herbs and indoor plants and more) adding color, the local merchants shop their goods.  The list includes artisan and organic breads, pastries, cider, honey, apples, syrup, jerky, jams, jellies, garlic, body-care products, fresh healthy meat–beef venison, lamb, pork, chicken, all types of eggs, fresh seafood and a huge pile of dog treats. The pizza vendor sets up and cooks just outside the door, and the lady fishing captain drives up her truck, opens the back and sells fresh local fish. And don't forget Joan's Famous Composting Worms!

Concord being the food-loving town that it is, and the blog- and Twitter-conversant population that it is, word spread, and now the three Farmers Market days are social as well as shopping events. Hats off to Joan.