O P I N I ON
THE SOAPBOX
Stand up. Speak up. It’s your turn.
I first saw the Manchester Farmer’s Market during my lunch hour when I was working at the YW. I noticed a few farm stands, the mayor and a couple local restaurant owners. It must have been before 5 p.m. and I went over to say hi. Most of what was selling was too expensive for my blood so I had to forego shopping at the market. I saw an iteration of this Farmer’s Market again in front of the Double Tree on Elm Street a year or so later, again there were breads and sweet treats and other items which were more money than they were worth. It was a strange attempt to force this carcass of a Farmer’s Market on various parts of the city. The word about town is that Manchester made moves too late to secure any good farms in their markets. As a person who gets around the state, this is absolute hogwash. I would submit, instead, that the history of a Manchester Farmer’s Market is fraught with shady management and a disconnect to both local farmers and the local patrons.
Why am I writing about these markets now?
There’s been a new wave of community-based and inclusive pop-up markets at Center City. They remind me of hip movies like Vampires vs. the Bronx, where there’s music from various countries blasting down the block, neighbors are coming out to sell their wares, children are being fed for free at the local church, and there’s a genuine sense of bonhomie and robust intention throughout.
Why is this Art and Farmer’s Market more successful and vibrant than anything Manchester has coordinated in recent memory?
Because it is put together by the people who have been creating safe and inclusive spaces in our community for years. The MUMS Pop-Up Market is being coordinated by Manchester Grows, who brought us the Art and Plant Extravaganza, NeighborWorks who coordinates with local tenants to secure affordable housing and help families make plans to buy their own homes, Don Quijotes, a local restaurant that donates food for the youth and procures their produce and meat from small vendors ensuring high-quality products, Queerlective who helped coordinate Pride, Unchartered Tutoring which teaches STEAM in 14 Title 1 schools throughout the region, Hope Tabernacle, ORIS and Fresh Start Farms, who slash their produce in half for all who participate in subsidized nutritional programs.
Why would an event which is created by our community for our community be more successful? Because it has intention and passion, because it is something which is necessary. The need our communities have for access to affordable produce, safe space art making, to community is great given the insurmountable rate of inflation, greedy property management firms, drug and alcohol dependency and often for youth the feeling of isolation and confusion about where they can go to express themselves safely and without judgment.
We have had so many amazing participants at our events including MPAL, Waypoint, Granite State Organizing Project, Welcoming Manchester, The City Library, which is hosting an amazing fundraiser called Libation for the Library in November so look out for that! Also sharing their harvest with us are a group of local farms and farmers! This endeavor is a worthwhile project and it needs to be sustained. With your voice, and participation we can ensure that the city invests and protects placemaking projects like the MUMS Market. We can ensure stability and sustainability when the powers that be help to uplift their communities instead of worrying about their next election cycle.
Join us for what, hopefully, won’t be our last event this coming Thursday, September 8, from 4-7 p.m. at Hope Tabernacle, 222 Cedar St., and meet your neighbors, buy local, make art, share your voice. Let us work together to shape the Manchester of our future!
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