The Historic Lewes Farmers Market will open for the season Saturday, May 3, at George H.P. Smith Park. The market will be losing a key farm-to-community program when funding runs out in July. It has issued a plea to donors to try and make up for the loss. The program gives 4,000 people in Sussex and Kent counties access to fresh produce, meat and dairy products. BILL SHULL PHOTO
The Historic Lewes Farmers Market will open for the season Saturday, May 3, at George H.P. Smith Park. The market will be losing a key farm-to-community program when funding runs out in July. It has issued a plea to donors to try and make up for the loss. The program gives 4,000 people in Sussex and Kent counties access to fresh produce, meat and dairy products. BILL SHULL PHOTO
The Historic Lewes Farmers Market is getting ready to mark its 20th anniversary of making fresh, local products available to the community.
However, the impending loss of funding for its farm-to-community program has HLFM leaders scrambling to find ways to keep it going.
In 2023, the Delaware Department of Agriculture chose HLFM to create a program that would pay local farmers to grow food and make it available to food pantries in Sussex County. The resulting system expanded to Kent County last year.
The program gives 4,000 people in need weekly access to locally grown fruits, vegetables, meat and dairy products, and eggs.
According to Eleanor Shue, HLFM executive director, funding for the program was set to expire this July.
Now, since the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Local Food Purchase Assistance Program that provided its funding has been terminated, the local program will not be renewed past that date.
Shue said the market has issued an urgent plea for donors to step in and try to make up for the loss.
“This is a huge loss, especially from August to December,” Shue said. “Our customers, volunteers and supporters have been understanding of how big this program is.”
The nonprofit HLFM will open for the season at 8 a.m., Saturday, May 3, at George H.P. Smith Park. Shue said there will be more than 30 vendors, about the same as last year.
The HLFM Wednesday market will open at 8 a.m., June 4, at Crooked Hammock. Shue said it will have double the number of vendors this year.
The market will celebrate its 20th anniversary Saturday, July 5, and Shue said there are special commemorative T-shirts available for purchase in sizes for adults and kids.
The popular tomato festival will be held Saturday, Aug. 2, and Kids Day will take place Saturday, Aug. 16.
Dogs are not allowed at the market. Shue said there has been a great response to the policy, which started last year.
Shue said the market has 160 volunteers, but they are always looking for more.
For more information or to donate to the HLFM, go to historiclewesfarmersmarket.org.
The Historic Lewes Farmers Market will open for the season Saturday, May 3, at George H.P. Smith Park. The market will be losing a key farm-to-community program when funding runs out in July. It has issued a plea to donors to try and make up for the loss. The program gives 4,000 people in Sussex and Kent counties access to fresh produce, meat and dairy products. BILL SHULL PHOTO
