Petersham Friday Market

The Friday Market provides fresh locally grown food, craft vendors, information from health care and social service groups and live music on the town common each Friday
afternoon from 3 to 6 p.m. The 2019 Market season begins on June 7.

At the Petersham Friday Market, more than a dozen local families offer produce, started plants of many kinds, locally raised meat, chicken, local eggs, baked goods, local honey,
handmade soaps and other craft items. The selection varies each week. Shoppers can also support our music program with their tax deductible donations and and can purchase reusable “Get Fresh on the Common shopping bags to use throughout the year.

Kiwi Farm in Orange, Rick Wilkey of Orange and Jared Duval of Coolidge Farm are among vendors of fresh and local produce.

The Friday Market receives support from the local Cultural Council, Town Meeting voters, individual donors, Heywood Healthcare, Petersham Grange 95, from private foundations
and local donors. Sponsors include, Waterwheel Realty and Waterwheel Village.

Each summer, Friday Market performers perform a musical tribute to Willie Nelson, for his long career in music and for his work as founder and president 
of Cambridge-based Farm Aid. Nelson, Neil Young and John Mellencamp organized the first Farm Aid concert in 1985 to raise awareness about the loss of family farms 
and to raise funds to keep farm families on the land. Farm Aid has raised more than $50 million to promote a strong and resilient family farm system. 
For more information about joining the market, becoming a sponsor or about the market in general, please contact Roy Nilson (978-724-6662 ) or e-mail: 
fridaymarket@petershamcommon.com.

For full-time farmers or backyard gardeners there is no charge to be a vendor, once or several times.

If you want to improve your soils, check in with Bill Corey of NewSoil.org for vermiculture (very busy earthworms) compost. Mathilde Duffy's photo greeting cards are eye-catching. Lisa Ahlstrom's stained glass jewelry items make great presents.

A donation for our "Get Fresh" re-usable shopping bags will help support 20 weeks of live music performances of all types.

So remember "It Never Rains on Fridays in Petersham" and come on out!

The Friday Market Manager Is Now ServSafe Certified

Our Board of Health agrees that this certification will allow us to provide oversight to vendors who might need to produce food items in a certified kitchen for sale at the market. There are at least four kitchens in Petersham that qualify. I have spoken with two of the four who tell me that their kitchens might be available as needed for a modest rental fee. I will contact the others as well.

Vendors of prepared foods must contact our Board of Health directly to make sure they meet all other rules and regulations. Feel free to spread the word to anyone who might be interested in producing breads, pastries or other food items to sell at the market in 2018. They can contact Roy (978-724-6662) to work out the details as we go.

The Friday Market delivers fresh-grown produce, honey and eggs from local vendors and promotes programs offered by Petersham Grange 95 and by local healthcare and social service agencies. The local Grange offers programs on bee-keeping, invasive species control and amending soils for maximum garden success throughout the year. The Grange also provides local agriculture scholarships to students.

Our weekly market provides an accessible place from which such groups can deliver information to the public.

At the Petersham Friday Market, more than a dozen local farm families and crafters offer organic produce, fresh corn and other produce, locally raised meat, chicken, local eggs, local honey, baked goods, home-baked dog cookies, herbal remedies, handmade soaps and other craft items. The menu of choices changes with the seasons.

The Friday Market offers its program of free music each Friday thanks to major support from Heywood Healthcare, the Wild Geese Foundation, Petersham Town Meeting voters, the Petersham Cultural Council, The Country Store, Waterwheel Realty, Buell Plowing, the Memorial Library, Petersham Grange, from Earthlands and from individual local donors.

The Friday Market is on the Petersham town common from 3 to 6 p.m. each Friday until mid October. For information, contact Roy Nilson (978-724-6662) or by e-mail: fridaymarket@petershamcommon.com

LOOKING AHEAD

The Hip Swayers Return to the Petersham Friday Market Sept. 7

After the Rain August 10

Josh Levangie and the Pistoleros Bring Outlaw Rock on July 27

The Friday Market on the Petersham Common at 3 p.m. July 27 with the signature sounds of Josh 
Levangie and the Pistoleros -- Pioneer Valley outlaw rockers who evoke Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash and 
Merle Haggard songs.

Chuck and Mud the Friday Market July 6 -- With Walter

The Friday Market returns to the Petersham Common July 6 with Worcester's iconic folk duo, Chuck and Mud and Walter Crockett on the Bandstand. Chuck & Mud have been playing folk music, Americana and original songs in the Worcester area for 38 years.

Each weekly musical performance will feature at least one Willie Nelson song, a tip of our hat and our
tribute to Willie Nelson for his years of work with Cambridge-based FarmAid.org
to support small farms and farmers nationwide.

“We started out to save the family farmer. Now it looks like the family farmer is going to save us.” — Willie Nelson

The Petersham Friday Market receives welcome support from Heywood Healthcare, The Wild Geese Foundation in Waltham, from voters at the 2017 Petersham Town Meeting, the Petersham Cultural Council, Petersham Grange 95, The Country Store, Waterwheel Realty, and from local donors like you. All proceeds go directly to pay the musicians who perform at our market.

The Petersham Friday Market opened for the seasons on June 8, 2018 with vendors offering fresh local produce, local eggs, garden plants and flowers, baked goods, hand-crafted soaps and more. During the summer, we present music on the bandstand ranging from acoustic folk to Zydeco. Social service and health care organizations are welcome to join us as well. Athol Hospital is scheduled to offer blood pressure screening.

The music schedule features a wide range of musical styles. In 2017, they ranged from the Barrett Anderson Band, the Reprobate Blues Band, The Hip Swayers, The Equalites, Chuck and Mud, the Green Sisters, Josh Levangie and the Pistoleros, The Waters Edge and more.

Market vendors vary each week and include The Little Chicken Factory (mobile coops), Bob Hayward's Local Garlic, Pick and Shovel Farm (plants and produce), Coolidge Farm Walnut Kitchen Homestead (produce, meat and other items), Rick Wilkey from Orange (fresh Valley produce). Sunset Valley Farm, preserves and syrups from New Salem Orchards, plants and herbs from Hartman's Herb Farm, Tracey's Traditionals (herbal remedies) and more.

The Friday Market is on the Petersham common from 3 to 6 p.m. on Fridays and does not charge vendor fees. For information, contact Roy Nilson (978-724-6662) or by e-mail: fridaymarket@petershamcommon.com
fill up the tin cup

It is easy to support Music at the Friday Market.

With your PayPal Account you can e-mail a contribution in any amount to:
fridaymarket@petershamcommon.com

Your donation will be confirmed by PayPal and will will come from Roy Nilson. You can also send a contribution to The Friday Market at P.O. Box 854 in Petersham.

All proceeds go to the musicians who play at the Friday Market each week.

NOTE: If you would prefer to make a tax deductible contribution, we can tell you how to do that - it's easy. Send us an E-mail. We will get right back to you.