Higganum Market Goes Green Today

Sorry Kermit, but it is so easy to go green these days! in Higganum goes "green" on their town green, with energy conscious and eco-friendly vendors and exhibitors on August 10th. Now in its fourth year, this summer event is geared towards family participation and education and features some great local Green organizations. Green Exhibitors  on hand this Friday; Connecticut Chapter of  NOFA (Northeast Organic Farming Association) who will be offering organic lawn care information and samples of special clover, CT Farm Energy, with “Green Power” information  for CT Agriculture, RiverQuest Cruises of Haddam, CT with Captain Mark who provide educational eco-tours of the lower CT River, Connecticut Light & Power /Yankee Gas with ways to save on heating costs, IPM Landscapes, LLC-bringing integrated pest management controls into your landscape plan.

Additionally, specialty exhibitors will demonstrate ways to go green, live green, and build green. Brendan Matthews brings his business, Barn Raisers to the event; a post & beam builder using natural materials, sustainable practices, renewable resources; and Waldo Renewable Energy, an electrical contractor that specializes in solar power installations. Wind power generation and solar energy - models and ideas will be on display with Community Energy, Inc.

Among “green” and fun guest vendors this Friday are: Madison Wool, Haddam Family Consignments, Simply Soap by Jane Palmer. The afternoon event has become a much anticipated summer event, for folks looking for ideas to save on energy costs, while keeping carbon footprints – small.

The Green in Higganum is also a nice place to decompress from the work week. “People get to walk around on the green and meet all the exceptional farmers and other food vendors at this weekly farmers' market, and sample the freshest foods available,” says Market Chairwoman Deb Umba. “But it’s also a lot of fun to prepare special themes throughout our 22 Friday outdoor season to give people something to look forward to. Our Market Manager, Gail Reynolds does all the work on the weekly event of the market, and we all pitch in to invite some special organizations or vendors for special events. There is a lot of work involved with the weekly market, and events, but the truth is, it is fun too. The market is a great community affair; it provides the background for meeting and greeting your friends and neighbors, and in the fall –political candidates. There’s something here for everyone, and it is really rewarding to see so many loyal and local patrons, always. The bonus is most everyone who comes here is pretty savvy about good, nutritious fresh foods. So most of our visitors are already keen on going green,” she adds. 

Tourists and regular visitors are coming to Connecticut’s over 125 farmers’ markets each week in big numbers. Umba notes, “Increasingly, we are having a great influx of folks driving up the Connecticut River exploring our wonderful little towns. They find us by accident sometimes, too. They ask ‘What else is going on in this town?’  Or, ‘How do I get to…’ However, more and more, we hear from people who seek us out as a destination; as a place to point their compass to. We are easy to get to, adjacent to abundant parking, very family friendly, and easy off Route 9.  People do love the fresh food direct from the farmer aspect, but our town green is a nice place to cool off, even on the hottest days.” 

Umba attributes the “oasis, jewel box” appeal to the shady green trees and the quintessential gazebo on the Higganum Green.  She adds, “We are first and foremost committed to providing an outlet for farmers to sell direct to people. Our Board of Directors insists that we remain a ‘farmers’ first;’ market. The agrarian way of life was better for us all when we were a farm-based society. Our forefathers farmed because they had to; but as the population grew and people spread westward, along with mechanization – small family farms gradually went out of style. But the farming way of life has so much more to offer society today and we could learn a great lesson by practicing this sustainability model and becoming small-town centered, again. Farmers were the backbone of our local economies; there’s no reason we can’t return to a smaller local, sustainable economy.”

Haddam does not have large farms, and the soils in the lower Connecticut River Valley are full of glacial till which make farming difficult. But Umba goes on to say, “We have seen a real boom in smaller family farming in our state, and-- farmers have diversified their crops to adapt to what customers want.  Farmers’ markets showcase local small farmers and everyone wins. Our market consequently, is not focused on being the biggest or the most influential farmers’ market in Connecticut. We don’t have corporate sponsorship.” She went on to add that with the Board of Directors being teachers, who are education –driven, naturally as well. “We want to focus on providing fresh food and something for people to think about. And, we love being uniquely Haddam-sized.”

As for the Goin’ Green theme?  “That was a hit with people, the very first year,” Umba says. First organizer Mark Stephens – laid the blueprint, and it’s worked well. The market stays true to being a farmer-first market with only a sprinkling of artisanal crafts, but adds a few more for bigger events. “We do have some themes throughout the year, but the farmers are the main reason we are here. “

When the market focuses on a theme, they go big.  “A State of Farming,” produced in April, 2011, as a kick-off fund-raiser to the 2011 market season, exposed farming where it was, and how it is now in Connecticut. This Friday’s “green fair,” is the 4th time for this fun and educational gathering of eco-earth friendly exhibitors and vendors, and the biggest event on their calendar for the summer. 

However, August 24 is shaping up to be another blockbuster educational event for the market.  The theme is, “No Child Left Inside and The Haddam Trails Initiative.”  The market will showcase the Hartford Chapter of “No Child Left Inside,” with coordinator, Rachael Sunny. This is an organization dedicated to getting kids back outside and exploring nature. The Higganum Green will also as serve as the starting point for an early evening hike on one of two enhanced trails. Made possible by a grant from the Rockfall Foundation, Dan Dachelet of the Higganum Vision Group forged ahead with trail work and will lead a hike from the market starting at 6:00 PM.  A web page will be up and running soon to talk about more in store for the Trails system in Haddam.

Busy with plans for fall markets, the Market Board will host what they hope is a really big annual event for autumn, with “Fiber  Arts Day,“ on September 28, and then the two hugely popular indoor markets held at the Haddam VFW Hall, just steps away from the Green (this year’s dates:  November 16 and December 21). Additionally, this year, one of the main goals of the Board of Directors is the creation a map of the Lower Connecticut River Valley with a Farmers’ Market Town Trail Map, with funding obtained via a grant for Agriculture Viability from the State of Connecticut Department of Agriculture.

The Goin’ Green event showcases a sampling of the great local food vendors plus of course, favorite artisans, too. Shoreline Roasters, a local Higganum husband and wife business, offers delicious coffees and smoothies, and Chet’s Italian Ices provides a chilly delight for kids of all ages.  There’s Italian pastry, bread from the First Congregational Church of Haddam, hot sauces, hummus, eco-friendly and repurposed clothing, spices, cookies, local organizations and more.  For more treats, Shadow Valley Farm offers fresh ice cream and milk delivered in glass bottles, too.

Speaking of fresh, you can’t beat the abundance of fresh produce now that it is high summer, either. Higganum’s own Wellstone Farm provides a Community Supported Agriculture along with Berger Nursery, Longview Hill Farm, Killam & Bassette Farmstead, Old Glory Farm, Thankful Circle Farm, and cheeses from Cato Corner Farm and Deerfield Farm (sold by Wellstone Farm).

New this year at the market;  wines by Dalice Elizabeth Winery from Preston, and especially for this event  "Slightly Toasted," a  mobile gourmet grilled cheese sandwich shop (with soups, too!). Lastly, music underscores the entire market season, with various local musicians entertaining market-goers each week. But the market kicks this up a notch for Goin’ Green, and hosts the high-octane energy with a young band, now playing for 3 years at this event.  "ProForma Band” will be providing their own brand of re-cycled rock & roll, blues, jazz, and indie originals.

Plan on stopping by for a treat on the green and go green for planet earth as well as for your mind, body and soul.  The Higganum Village Farmers' Market theme for this year “Making the Green a little Greener” sounds like a great place, as they say at the market, “… in your local Center of the Universe,”  every Friday, from 3:30 to 6:30 pm, rain or shine!