This Friday & Saturday, November 27 & 28, and next Friday & Saturday, December 4 & 5, Sustainable Nantucket will be hosting its Farmers and Artisans Market for an extended season. These Holiday Markets will be held from 10am -2pm on Cambridge and Federal streets (weather permitting).
The Farmers and Artisans Market is designed to support and strengthen the island’s traditional industry of agriculture; to support the local economy and encourage entrepreneurs; to help keep downtown vital and to enhance the experience of community. All vendors are seasonal or year-round residents of Nantucket, and all goods sold are grown or produced on the island. Vendors include growers, artisans, and prepared food purveyors.
Sustainable Nantucket’s mission is “Cultivating, Educating and Promoting Environmentally Responsible Choice …making a big difference on a small island,” and the organization’s vision is to create a big tent to promote all manner of food grown or sourced on our island, to support all those engaged in providing locally sourced food, and to educate islanders and visitors to the benefits of eating local food.
In partnership with Nantucket Land Bank, Sustainable Nantucket has created the Walter F. Ballinger Educational Community Farm, home of their Community Farm Institute, comprising 8 acres designed to increase overall sustainable agricultural production and distribution on the island. SN provides classes, workshops, and resources for grower education and seeks to mentor individuals who wish to make a career of farming on Nantucket. Our new farm stand and education building at 168 Hummock Pond Road is where the Community Farm Institute is “growing new growers,” and offering freshly harvested produce, honey, jams, and artisanal salts throughout the growing season.
SN’s Farm to School Program was developed to educate Nantucket children about the local food system – nutrition, eating fresh fruits and vegetables and the joys of growing your own food. They work with students in the classroom, in after-school programs, and in their summer camp. They also partner with the Nantucket Public School Food Service Department to increase the amount of locally sourced produce it serves in school lunches through grants, gleaning, and our Harvest of the Month program.
Nantucket Grown™ Campaign includes a unique SN Brand that promotes and encourages the consumption of locally grown food on Nantucket prepared by restaurants, clubs, and caterers. It also provides farmers, restaurants, and food producers with an instantly recognizable branding campaign that will indicate to consumers that the food they are consuming was grown, processed, and distributed on Nantucket.
As Sustainable Nantucket celebrates their 20th anniversary through the tumultuous times in 2020, your support of their mission and our programs will help them to meet their vision and build a sustainable food network on Nantucket.
