Market Share Maine farmers, consumers relish opportunities for winter sales

Maine consumers are getting used to – and aggressively buying at – farmers markets across the state. Where there were only a handful a decade ago, there are now dozens of small and large weekly farmers markets operated every summer.

But when Old Man Winter comes calling, the markets all but disappear, usually by Halloween. That is except in three places in Maine: the Portland Public Market, the European Market in Bangor, and the Camden Farmers Market.

Extending the growing season and providing fresh, local produce and food during the winter months is becoming more and more important to Maine farmers, said Deanne Herman of the marketing division of the Maine Department of Agriculture.

The Camden market winters inside the State of Maine Cheese Co. facility owned by Kathy Morrill. About half the 10,000-square-foot building is devoted to the cheese-making operation, part of which can be viewed through a large glass wall near the entrance. A large showroom encompasses the front of the building, providing display space for Maine-made products Morrill likes to promote, ranging from paintings and pottery to mittens and her own cheeses. But on Saturdays, she also offers free extra space around the Maine-made displays to the farmers to show off their wares.

“This is a win-win situation,” Morrill said last week as her Route 1 building swarmed with shoppers looking for fresh cheese, organic meat, homemade jams and fresh greens and vegetables.

“We want people to know about the rich agriculture in this area while we are drawing customers into our store,” said Morrill.

Rick Gilbert, owner of Sunnyside Greenhouses in Bangor, said Saturday participation at the farmers market at his Buck Street business ranges from one to two dozen farmers. The European Farmers Market has been open since 1995. He said that extending the selling and growing season not only benefits the farmers, but is important for the customers.

Ten vendors were set up in Camden last week, selling their goods and offering enticing tastes: sushi, deviled eggs, chutney, Korean dipping sauces. While most of them sell at up to five different farmers markets in the warmer months, the Camden indoor market is their only outlet from November to May.

That means a lot to farmers whose profit margin is small. For Ray Gorman of Dilly Dally Farm in Plymouth, it means he can continue to farm. “It means I don’t have to get another job. This is how we make a living,” said Gorman.

Dozens of customers plucked fresh spinach, crisp scallions and field greens from Gorman’s shelves, produce grown year-round in four greenhouses heated by wood and oil. Baskets also were quickly filled with carrots, parsnips, cabbage, fresh eggs and homemade bread.

“Everyone knows to come early,” said Gorman’s wife, Carol Wolinski. “The fresh greens go fast.”

Melissa Berry brought her niece and nephew to the market, which she frequents as often as possible. “I like supporting my community,” she said. “These farmers do a quality job and they care about what they are selling. It is important to me to buy Maine produce. Our dominant grocery stores don’t truly support the Maine economy. I vote with my dollar.”

When asked, each customer said he preferred to buy Maine products. That sentiment was supported by more than 90 percent of respondents in each of two recent surveys, one completed for the Maine Department of Agriculture’s Get Real, Get Maine campaign and another by UMaine professor Mario Tiesl.

When it comes to selling produce in open-air markets, the United States is way behind the rest of the world, said Bob Rowell of Camden and Waterville. “We have lived in 61 countries,” said Rowell. “In England, we could walk around the corner to the green grocer. In Provence, France, there were rows and rows of fresh-grown and baked things in the market.”

This direct connection with the farmer is something Rowell treasures. “I’m here every Saturday,” he said.

Ana Antaki of Montville sells handmade soaps, lip balms and skin care products while her husband, Roy, sells hummus, tempeh and pate that they make at Weeping Duck Farm. A bonus for the Antakis is that product development can take place in the winter because the market is much slower paced.

“We don’t get as mobbed as we do in the summer,” Ana said. “Here, we get to talk to our customers and get direct feedback on new product development.” For instance, the couple tried out recipes for a veggie burger on their regular customers one weekend and heard what they thought about the burgers the very next weekend.

Matt Rowe of South China sells sushi, rolls and sauces at the market, purchasing all the ingredients he can from other vendors. “You can’t get any better ingredients than the fresh, local items sold here. I support them. They support me. We all work together,” he said.

But most importantly, said natural poultry producer John Barnstein of Warren, is that winter markets “keep the cash flow coming through the winter.”