The Davis Square Formers Market will be offering locally grown food every Wednesday through November 22. — Photos by Beatriz Leite

By Beatriz Leite

The Annual Davis Square Farmers Market is officially active. Every Wednesday until November 22, the population of Somerville will have the opportunity to meet local vendors and sample the variety of products they offer. The market happens at 44 Day Street, from 12:00 to 6:00 p.m.

The Davis Square Farmers Market is managed by Mass Farmers Markets, a non-profit organization that works to enhance farmers markets and support locally grown food for over forty years. The organization manages markets in Boston and Cambridge, such as the Copley Market and the Central Square Market.

The market managers, Sam Sanpietro and PJ Daniels highlight how amazing it is to be part of the Davis Square community, always partnering up with local businesses to benefit the customers and the shops.

“It is at the heart of Davis Square, and we created a loyalty card for the customers to benefit from the local business around,” Daniels said.

This event opens an opportunity for local businesses to thrive and prosper, with new customers looking for organic, natural, and fresh produce and innovative ideas brought to the city by the vendors.

Ellen Clark, from Sherman & Cherie’s Beezy Bees, emphasizes how important it is to support local businesses, not only for the sake of the economy but for quality and health. “If you want honey, get it from your local beekeeper in a 100-mile radius. That is pure honey,” Clark explained, mentioning how industrialized honey is not pure.

In the Davis Square Farmers Market, shoppers can find produce, baked goods, beverages, and various other specialties. Along with live music every week. Not all vendors are at the market every week. Some will be present biweekly, others monthly, and others later in the season. On the market website, interested customers can check the vendor’s availability and their HIP-approved, and SNAP Match-approved status.

Lee Picard, the only employee at the Table Farm, from Hardwick, showed the four types of cheeses produced in the founders’ farm with raw cow milk. Leah Beckett from Herd Supply Co. presented her sheep-made products, from body lotion to wool, highlighting the importance of locally sourced products.

SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) shoppers are valued in the Davis Square Farmers Market. The market offers a dollar-for-dollar SNAP match of up to $15 per market. SNAP users can earn additional benefits through the healthy incentives program (HIP) at the market. By spending $40-$80 per month (depending on household size) on fruits and vegetables at participating vendors the money will be put back into their EBT card.

This annual market continues to serve as an economic opportunity for all Greater Boston and Massachusetts vendors and allows more community connection in Davis Square, Somerville.