Prepare your market bag and mark your calendar for May 25 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for the starting day of Pottstown FARM’s farm and regional market held at Smith Family Plaza. The market will be taking place every other Saturday through Oct. 26 and they have much more in store for you and your family than fresh, locally-grown produce.
On opening day, singer/songwriter Lisa Lerman will perform live music, Elmwood Park Zoo will bring its mobile zoo, and the market will introduce its new mascot — a human-sized baby chick.
“We also have some new vendors, which is exciting,” said Sheila Dugan, director of the 9-year-old market. “They are producing everything locally, from shampoo to herbs and teas.”
For the first time in many years, they’ll be offering a full range of meats, including pork to beef from Knitter Family Farm of Bangor.
“This has been a request of our visitors for years,” Dugan said.
New vendors
Another new vendor to watch for in the market this year is Truly Pure and Natural of Telford, which will have all varieties of honey.
“Nick Perna is returning after a long break and we’re excited to have him back,” Dugan said.
Other new vendors include Healthy Delight Cooking Oils, Lehigh Valley Peanut Butter and isRiel Handmade, which specializes in herb-based vegan products for all hair types.
“Loriel Outterbridge, who owns isRiel, offers a plant-based, herb-infused hair care line,” said Dugan, of her products that are cruelty-free and gentle on the hair and environment.
Airmidian Natural Remedies also offers herbal products, such as herbal teas, herbal salves, herbal sprays, tinctures, elixirs, elderberry syrup, sore muscles rub, beeswax wraps, deodorant and more.
You’ll also find many of the market’s regular vendors returning.
“Andley Farm, Bread and Brew, Five Saints Distilling and Lil’ Miss and more will be back,” Dugan said.
Enjoy for the whole family
Every month, the market offers something enjoyable for the whole family.
They have live music in June; Christmas in July; ‘Bee our Guest’ in August, which focuses on bee education and awareness; butterfly tagging in September; in October they’ll have their History & Haunts Tour and on the last day of the market is their annual Halloween event.
“We’re also having a bingo fundraiser on September 8th that will be for gift cards and lottery tickets,” Dugan said. “It will be at the Pottstown Elks Lodge and we’re encouraging people to bring their grandparents to celebrate because it’s National Grandparents Day and they all love bingo.”
The Two-Bite Club for kids up to 12 is back on market days. It encourages kids to try food items sold at the market.
If they taste the weekly item from vendors, they get a $5 coin to spend anywhere in the market.
SNAP Incentives program
The non-profit market continues to offer its SNAP Incentives program.
Rather than receiving $10 in farm coins, they receive $15 and can spend it at any food vendors. All the funding comes from grants, sponsorships, and donations, which allows them to have the SNAP incentives, Two-Bite Club, and Operation143, where local families get a bag of fresh produce from Pottstown FARM weekly.
Pottstown FARM – Farm & Artisan Regional Market opens on May 25 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Smith Family Plaza, 100 E. High St., Pottstown. Pets should be kept at home on opening day due to the small animals the Elmwood Zoo will bring. Pets are welcome on all other market days. For more information, visit, www.pottstownfarm.org.
