The heat and humidity were already punishing at noon on Tuesday, August 9. However, that didn’t stop shoppers from coming out to view the selection at the Devens Farmers Market held on Rogers Field.
Produce aplenty at the Devens Farmers Market. (Photo by Grace Fiori)
At the second event of the season, Dick’s Market Garden of Lunenburg had a wide display of fresh fruits and vegetables at a corner of Rogers Field in Devens. Open from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., there was a steady stream of shoppers this past Tuesday. They stopped by intermittently, often on lunch break from the corporate offices just down the street. Musician Bob Jordan entertained attendees with his guitar throughout the afternoon.
The market has a wide variety of seasonal crops, all grown locally on the Lunenburg farm. This week there were variegated heirloom tomatoes, pints of cherry tomatoes, and baskets of green and yellow peppers. Knobs of cured garlic sat next to tubs of loose leaf lettuce, kale, and ears of corn. Fresh plums, blackberries, and nectarines stole the show as they are finally in season in New England.
A couple visiting their friends in Devens proclaimed it was one of the best nectarines they had ever eaten. One woman who lives in Devens and is a regular at the farmers market said she appreciated the chance to have such a wide selection of fresh produce brought to their area.
Dick’s Market Garden has been resilient throughout this region’s heat wave and drought, which has been exacerbated by abnormally low rainfall since May. Most of their crops are thriving through consistent watering via drip irrigation, said Howard Marshall, who was helping manage the farmers market and works on the farm at Dick’s Market Garden. They are confident in their crops’ resilience, as the pond on their property remains a stable resource.
The next farmers market will be August 23 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The market is held on the corner of Rogers Field closest to the intersection of Elm and Jackson Road, near the Devens Fire Station.
Customers can use cash, credit, or debit. SNAP and Massachusetts Farmers Market Coupons are accepted. Those who use SNAP are also eligible for benefits through the Healthy Incentives Program (HIP).
