Staff reports 10:10 a.m.
Saturday, May 27, 2017 10:09 am

ROCHESTER - The Rochester Farmer's Market is preparing for its return next month for its second summer season.

The market will take over the Rochester Common from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. every Tuesday, beginning June 13 and continuing through Sept. 26. It will feature fresh fruit, produce, meats, cheeses, fresh bread and flowers from a variety of vendors, as well as free entertainment and demonstrations.

"The Farmer's Market is truly a community hub that enables friends, neighbors, adults and kids a chance to come together to enjoy time with one another while supporting local farmers and businesses," City Manager Daniel Fitzpatrick said. "Last year was a great success, and I expect this year's market to be even better."

The Rochester Farmer's Market serves as an opportunity for residents to shop for locally sourced foods and learn new and innovative ways to prepare them.

"We wanted to make sure we not only succeeded in providing local, nutritious foods from local farmers, but also create a community gathering space where everyone could come together to enjoy some local entertainment and catch up," Economic Development Specialist and market co-founder Jenn Marsh said. "We did just that in our first season, so we are eager to see the market return this summer."

To help make the market accessible to everyone, the Farmer's Market has partnered with Seacoast Eat Local and earned a grant from HEAL NH that will allow vendors to accept the SNAP/EBT card and offer a dollar for dollar match for the first $10 card users spend.

"We are extremely grateful to Rochester Main Street, the city and our sponsors for their enthusiastic support of the market since the beginning of this effort," Marsh said. "This would not have been possible without them."