Focaccia, flowers and fruit: the Brookline Farmers’ Market has it all
The scent of fresh bread wafts from the tent into the cold, ameliorating the crisp autumn air. The tents are lined up perfectly, produce is stacked neatly in a colorful arrangement, spanning from raspberries to fresh tomatoes. Here, people of all ages, from all areas of Massachusetts, stroll around the market with a mixture of serenity and enchantment.
The Brookline Farmers’ Market starts the first week in June and ends right before Thanksgiving. It is open from 1:30 pm to 6:30 pm every Thursday.
The market is composed of a series of tents ranging from flower shops to bakeries: homemade honey and fresh produce, jewelry and candles. The market bustles with people excited to try new things or come back for their favorite product.
Clear Flour Bakery is a Brookline fan-favorite, and always makes its way over on Thursdays, rain or shine. The bakery sells everything from bread and baguettes to cookies and croissants.
For Clear Flour General Manager Michelle Lawren, it has become habitual to pack the cozy bakery into an outdoor tent.
“We just have to plan for baking all the extra product for the markets, which means packing up everything in the bakery, packing up the van, transporting it all to the site, setting up the tent and the display and then helping the people until we sell out,” Lawren said.
Brookline resident Clara Bachelor said she has been coming to the Farmers’ Market every year since 1983 and plans to continue the tradition. Bachelor’s favorite part about the Market is its energy, the cozy stalls and unique products that come back every year.
Bachelor’s go-to spot is the produce tents that sell organic fruits and vegetables.
“I like the variety of it, that you can get produce but you can also get cheese and flowers. It’s just a fun scene. It’s really fun to see people here and you run into your neighbors,” Bachelor said.
Fivefork Farms is another one of the venders that keeps coming back. Originally located in Central Massachusetts, owner Grace Lam keeps it simple by selling only flowers.
“It’s really hard to keep a consistent customer base at farmers’ markets every single year, but this [market] is one that’s had a great, great track record,” Lam said.
Brookline’s Farmers Market seems to have regular shoppers. After looking around to see all the shoppers and venders, their interactions made it evident that the experience is worth coming back for week after week.
Lawren is happy to be outside and in the beautiful weather, but also thinks the best part of the Market is the life it brings.
“It’s refreshing to meet all the farmers and other venders who are usually really awesome. Getting to know those folks and making those connections is the highlight of being here,” Lawren said.
Lam has been coming to this market for years, and the customers make it all worthwhile.
“I love meeting our customers and seeing the regulars and talking to regular customers every single week. Some years you see a baby born, and if you keep coming back to the farmers’ market every year you see this kid grow up and even that it’s then people get married or whatnot. The connection we make with our customers really, at least for me, rejuvenates me a lot,” Lam said.