CLAREMONT, N.H. – A new outdoor market kicked off on Sunday, Aug. 23, in the parking lot of Runnings at 403 Washington Street. Harvest Market Days is a gathering of local farmers, food makers, artists, and small businesses.
The market runs every Sunday, from 1-4 p.m., through Oct. 11, and is sponsored by The Apiary, a gift shop and artisan marketplace in Claremont that features over 60 products curated from Vermont and New Hampshire artisans.
Ashley Clay, owner of The Apiary, said her intention behind Harvest Market Days was to create more of a farmers market than a craft fair. One of Clay’s goals is to highlight the robust diversity of items available from local farms, area growers, and food producers, and she extends an open invitation to anyone interested in joining the weekly gathering. Clay is looking for folks like hot food vendors, makers of pickled things, bakers of homemade bread, candle crafters, and all types of local artists.
Clay would even be open to “someone with an overgrown garden, or an abundance of zucchini, for example.” She wants to collaborate with producers of farm-raised meats, chickens, locally sourced honey, and maple syrup, to provide them with a place to sell their wares and connect with the community.
Currently, some of the market’s vendors are The Dough Co., a micro-cottage bakery out of Claremont; Adonai’s Acres, a family-run farm that raises clean and organic meats; and Joey’s Dog House, a mobile food concession that serves loaded franks, smash burgers, and house-made sausages.
The first-generation family farmers of Bardo Farm in Croydon, N.H., have operated a booth at the market offering samples of their smoked and dry-aged meats, salami, pancetta, and Lonza. Owners Neil and Emily Smith are committed to responsible, sustainable farming, and specialize in raising pigs and cows through regenerative practices, prioritizing the wellbeing of their animals and the environment. Their farm is off the grid, powered entirely by solar energy.
Clay has established working relationships with many of the market’s sellers through The Apiary, and many of them have started bringing their products to Harvest Market Days. One such vendor is Tori’s Tasty Treats, baker of homemade sourdough and bagel loaf bread, along with a variety of cookies. Local artist Dale Garrow has displayed paintings that feature the beauty of local scenery, wildlife, and nature.
Each week, the market sets up in front of the garden center at Runnings, and Clay has plans to expand as more sellers join. She is also interested in adding live music and more food truck options. Harvest Market Days is a rain-or-shine event.
Follow the Harvest Market Days Facebook page at www.facebook.com/harvestmarketdays for information, photos, and updates.