Market Blogger

Farmer's Market at the Sowa Open Market

Aside from being a successful venue for artists, designers and crafters, the Sowa Open Market has a full functioning, bustling farmer's market! Our farmers grow locally and offer high quality fruits, vegetables, cage free eggs and dairy products. Food vendors bring a wide variety of freshly baked goods, jellies, honey, and sauces as well as delicious meals to eat at the market. Here is our line up for the 2009 season!:

Gilson's Herb Lyceum
David Gilson and his family welcome you to their hospitality and their passion for herbs. The Herb Lyceum at Gilson's, a masterfully renovated 19th century carriage house, is located in scenic and historic Groton, Massachusetts, on the grounds of the Gilson Family Homestead.

Silverbrook Farm
In the SouthCoast there is a pocket of farming still existing. Silverbrook is one of many operating farms in the Dartmouth/Westport area. Our closeness to the Ocean gives us a unique growing climate and the beauty of the landscape gives us a lot of joy. By purchasing product from local farms, you are ensuring this view for future generations. "Eat your view", as the Europeans say.

Our products are sustainably grown, which means that we do not use herbicides or pesticides on our crops as many farmers do. We follow these practices because they are the right thing to do - for those who work with us, the environment and for the consumer.

Our customers often become our friends. We know you can't travel to Dartmouth to visit us but this is at least an attempt to show you around (minus the smells) and familiarize you with Silverbrook Farm. Enjoy!

The Dahlia Farm
Profile coming soon!

Silvermine Farm
Silvermine Farm 96 Eight Lots Road Sutton, MA 01590 (508) 865-5335 Silvermine Farm has been owned and operated by our family since the early 1700’s. Recognized as a bicentennial farm in the 1980’s, our family takes pride in being stewards of the land for so many years. While the face of the farm has changed over the generations, our commitment to maintaining open space and providing the community with fresh, high quality food has remained constant.

Our transition to organic methods of growing food over the last several years re-confirms the family’s sense of responsibility for the care and protection of the environment and the community we live in.

We grow strawberries, vegetables, pumpkins, chickens, turkeys and a few geese. These can be purchased at a variety of venues, from our “U-pick” strawberries and pumpkins operations on the farm to farmers markets and through our participation in Stone’s Throw CSA.

Spring Brook Farm
For 295 years, Spring Brook Farm has been supplying Littleton, MA and the surrounding area with quality, flavorful produce at affordable prices.

Spring Brook Farm is currently managed and operated by Frank Matheson, Jr. and has been in his family and in continuous operation since 1713. The farm consists of 440 acres in two parcels and is the largest working farm in the local area.

The Matheson's agricultural philosophy is simple. They practice environmentally-friendly, sustainable agriculture and use the latest in Integrated Pest Management methods in conjunction with the University of Massachusetts IPM program to minimize environmental impact. A lot may have changed in the technology of farming since 1713, but the family's passion for farming and its commitment to the community remains unaltered.

Spring Brook Farm Country Store provides a unique shopping experience in the area. Not only a great place to stop for eggs, milk and cheese, shoppers can also find a wonderful range of produce, preserves, fresh bakery items, artisan and rustic breads, and Spring Brook's signature At Home line of home decor. Each piece in the At Home collection is carefully and individually selected by Fran Matheson, the proprietor of the Country Store. She takes pride in choosing high quality, unique items which will bring warmth and style to your home.

Vendor Profile - Chroma Lab

Chroma Lab
Sowa Open Market - May 16 & 17 | June 7, 21 | July 12, 26

Chroma Lab is Alicia Cornwell and Tony Bevilacqua, two people who love producing and living with colorful, modern furniture and home accessories in Boston. Tony is a very tall native Bostonian who worked as a fine artist and decorative painter for seven years after receiving his painting degree. Alicia is a medium-sized Texan art historian who moved to Boston to experience winter and tour old houses.

In 2008 we began transforming neglected but promising pieces of furniture by repairing and repainting them for ourselves and for our friends. It was a lot of fun, and it turns out other people like vibrant and repurposed furniture and accessories, too. We started Chroma Lab for anyone whose home needs a shot (or a lot) of pick-me-up color in the form of high quality furniture and unique, hand crafted clocks and durable floorcloths. Please check Chroma Lab’s site and portfolio often, since we are always working on something new.

We can't do it all by ourselves, so Chroma Lab has a small staff: our style consultant is Maddie, a tortoiseshell kitty with discriminating taste; our quality control agent is fastidious tortoiseshell kitty Sophie; our studio assistant is whippet collie pup Cassie.

Vendor Profile - James Polisky

James Polisky
Sowa and Providence Open Markets

Briefly explained, my current silkscreen work is a blend of drawing, color separation and hand printed screening, which has an oddly embraced inconsistency from print to print. The registration, multiple color layers, and ink coverage all have a place in every color of every print made.

The subject matter is mostly character driven, drawing inspiration from the simplicity and complexity, the sheer mass and volume, and an ever changing pace that is the outside world.

Be it imagined or observed, or perhaps a bleeding of the borders between a simple cartoon and a reason to think. Whether offering views of monotonic bliss, a desperately uncertain future, laughter and a sliver of hope, or a lightning crack of violence, they all aim towards an appreciation of the greatness and power that every day can offer.

Vendor Profile - Pogobabies Handmade

Pogobabies Handmade
Sowa Open Market - May 16 & 17, 31 | June 7, 21 | July 19 | September 19 & 20 | October 25

I began making baby items when I was pregnant with my daughter. I had been in the habit of making her Holiday dresses and things...but my little venture really began one day when I happened to be looking for a shopping cart cover. I wanted one that covered the entire cart area. I found only one brand available in my local stores...and it was only offered in a blue/red color combination. I decided to make one...a pink one! The next thing you know...I was making them for friends as baby gifts and eventually selling at local open market events.

It has now been 2 1/2 years since I began...and I've expended my line of items into clothing, pacifier clips, shoes, etc. I sell my items at local open market shows, at one lovely boutique, on this very website, and on a fabulous online shopping community called Etsy.com.

While I am a one-mom venture, I do put the utmost into every single one of my items. I strive for quality and professionalism. Every one of my items will arrive neatly packaged with a lovely Pogibabies label.