Market on Dec 19th
dear market shoppers, Firstly, I'd like to thank you all for signing our Market petition last week. Your thoughtful comments about your Saturday shopping rituals - both at the market and in the Village - reinforced what we have believed all along: The Market's bustling energy galvanizes the community and enlivens the downtown.
Regrettably, despite our collective best efforts, the Mayor and Board of Trustees have voted to cut the hours of the market on December 19th, to 9 a.m. to 12 noon.
Given that many of our farmers drive up to 5 hours or more round-trip and may be reluctant to come that day for a three-hour market, we will offer them a lower rent fee to compensate for the business they stand to lose by closing an hour early. We know our devoted Hastings shoppers will come to the market no matter what, but we worry about those who travel from further afield and many turn up just as our farmers are headed home. Please help us spread the word about our early closure that day. We all want fresh, local food on our holiday table and we want to support the farmers who work so hard all year on this day they have been counting on for months.
On the subject of support, it is extremely important that you understand that this is NOT a downtown business vs. Farmers’ Market situation. Some shop-owners believe their businesses suffer on Saturday mornings because parking spaces their would-be customers need are jammed with Market patrons. But most merchants look at the bigger picture of what it means to have a small town come alive, and come together, on a Saturday morning. Regardless, we want to encourage you to PLEASE, PLEASE park in the train station when you are shopping at the farmer's market.
In the last few years, with ever more farmers’ markets in the area and the popularity of CSAs, we, like shopkeepers, have faced an increasingly competitive environment. To meet challenges, we have had to be nimble and make choices and sometimes changes in the way we operate.
The Hastings Farmers’ Market is a success because we work extremely hard at our relationships — with farmers, neighbors, the library, families in need, the disabled, musicians, the PTSA, fire department and other local organizations. We cherish the spirit and substance of what we have built, and believe it is vital that you express your appreciation for this Market by shopping December 19th — with us, with Hastings’ merchants, and with good will.
See you at the Market!
Pascale Le Draoulec, market director and the Hastings Farmer's Market Committee