Farmers’ Market Open Until October 25
By Mary Kernan for the Lexington Minuteman 
Publication Date: September 29, 2005

The Lexington Farmers’ Market has enjoyed a terrific summer season.  The fun isn’t over yet and the market will continue to sell great local products until October 25^th.  Here are some of the most common questions we hear about the market:

 When does the farmers’ market end?
With the beginning of the wonderful New England Harvest season, the Lexington farmers’ market will continue to run every Tuesday afternoon from 2:00 – 6:00 until October 25^th.  The market is located on the corner of Mass and Fletcher Ave in downtown Lexington.  Please check out our website at www.lexingtonfarmersmarket.org for a complete list of upcoming events. 

 What kinds of products can we expect to find in the fall?
October in New England ushers in an abundant selection of autumn produce.  In addition to late season tomatoes and corn, look for broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, potatoes, kale, pumpkins, rutabagas, sweet potatoes, turnips, winter squash, apples, pears and more.

I’ve been looking for some basic products like bananas and lemons.  Why don’t I find those in the market?
The team in Lexington has made a conscious decision to stay true to the mission of a farmers’ market and support local farms.  That is, everything you find at the Lexington market is locally produced and in season.  This differs from a market such as Haymarket, where the goods are often sourced from the Chelsea produce markets, arriving from all over the world.  If a product is not grown or made locally by the vendor, it won’t be sold at the market.  

Can you explain what an heirloom vegetable is?
Heirloom varieties (of any fruit or vegetable) are those that have been passed down through the generations without being changed, improved or genetically modified.

Some vendors products are labeled organic or IPM.  Can you explain these terms?
Organic vegetables are those grown without the use of synthetic fertilizers or pesticides.  Organic farmers use a variety of methods to fertilize their crops such as animal and/or green (plant) manure, crop rotation, composting, cover crops and beneficial insects and birds to control pests. 

Integrated Pest Management, or IPM, is the use of different pest control methods including biological, natural, chemical or genetic to control unacceptable levels of pest damage.  Here, the emphasis is on methods that create the least possible hazard to the environment, people and property. Synthetic chemicals may be used, but only as a last resort.

The Lexington Farmers’ Market features a wide variety of organic, IPM and conventional products.  

When I buy organic vegetables, they seem to be dirtier than those I get in the grocery store.  Why is that?
Well, organic vegetables are grown in, ah, dirt.  The farmers do not go through a rigorous, mechanized cleaning process before bringing their products to the market.  Remember, the emphasis is on freshness.  A few rinses in clean, cold water is all you need.  Better yet, you don’t need any special cleaning agents to remove chemical residues.

Is there a way for me to become involved in the Lexington Farmers' Market?
Yes! The Lexington farmers' market is the perfect place to pitch in with your
neighbors to make Lexington an even better place to live and work.  You can make a contribution of either time or money. Please stop by the market manager’s tent or visit our website for more information.

Where do we park for the market?
You can use any of the municipal lots or metered parking in town.  Additionally, the Lexington Police Department is kindly allowing us to use the eastbound side of Mass Ave (east of Winthrop Street), during market hours only, to create extra parking space. 

The apostrophe farmers’ is in the wrong place.  When will this be corrected?
Of all the concerns with the market, this one seems to have generated the most controversy.  Grammatically, farmers’ can be punctuated in several different ways.  “Farmers”, in the plural, means that there are many farmers in the market.  “Farmer’s”, in the possessive, would imply that the market belongs to a single farmer.  “Farmers’”, in the plural possessive, indicates that the market belongs to the all the farmers.  This is the traditional punctuation, and we’ve decided to continue using it.

If I have another question about the market, where can I go for answers? 
Please visit our website at www.lexingtonfarmersmarket.org.  Or, stop by the market manager’s tent any Tuesday for answers to all your questions.  You can also reach us at info@lexingtonfarmersmarket.org.

 XXX

Mary Kernan is the Chef/Owner of Homemade Today Personal Chef service.  She can be reached at mary@homemadetoday.com.