Thousands support farmers, small businesses at Coventry Farmer’s Market

The Coventry Farmers Market was back up and running Sunday after heavy rain and flooding canceled it last weekend.

“That’s only the fourth time in 20 years that we’ve canceled the market,” said Melissa Tremblay with Coventry Farmers Market.

Open every Sunday from June to October, the market is a summer staple in Coventry. This year marks the market’s 20th season.

“It’s the greatest farmer’s market,” said Faith Marrion of Niantic. “It’s just so big.”

With so many small businesses and farm-fresh produce, Marrion said she has been to the market many times and doesn’t mind making the hour-long drive from Niantic. 

“We just got our knives sharpened,” Marrion said. “We’re going to get corn. There’s just everything here. We get our soap here. So, it’s just a trip worth making.”  

Not only is the market a treat for customers, but for farmers as well. 

Paul Desrochers runs 18th Century Purity Farm in Moosup and Plainfield. He is a regular vendor at the market, having been there since it first opened 20 years ago. While his crops made it through the rain, he says some didn’t survive the winter. 

“Earlier in the season, we had a couple of disasters,” Desrochers said. “In February, we lost our entire peach crop because the temperature hit -14 on our peach orchard.”

However, there was a great selection of summer vegetables and blueberries.

Then, there are farmers helping others recover from the rain and flooding. This week, Brenton Farm in Plainfield donated nearly 200 pounds of cucumbers to Killam & Bassette Farmstead.

“It’s like a big family,” Daniel Brenton said. “You got to take care of each other. When times are down, you got to help out when you can.”

Organizers said they expected 4,000 people to visit the market. That’s thousands of people shopping local and supporting Connecticut-based businesses and farmers.