Winter Farmers’ Market at Russell’s Garden Center, Wayland. Photo courtesy of Peg Mallett.

March’s Massachusetts Agriculture Calendar Photo Contest winner was Peg Mallett, who photographed customers purchasing Massachusetts maple syrup at The Wayland Winter Farmers’ Market at Russell’s Garden Center from Dale Wentworth of The Warren Farm & Sugarhouse in North Brookfield.

Once a photojournalist, Peg began working at Russell’s Garden Center in 1995 as their vegetable plant crop production manager.  When the Garden Center decided to host a summer farmers’ market in 2005, Peg happily took it on. In 2010, a winter market was added to their lush indoor greenhouse, offering a warm reprise from the cold. The market now has roughly 45 vendors and attracts approximately 1,200 customers every Saturday through mid-March.  It’s one-stop shopping at the Wayland Winter Farmers’ Market, where you can find seasonal crops, meat, eggs, seafood, maple products, cheese, wine, and cider, mead, locally made jams & jelly, baked goods and yarn.

Over the winter season, Peg created special event days that offer a festive atmosphere for all ages and include special workshops, cooking demos and farm animals. The MA Farm Wineries Day, Farm Fiber Days and New England Cheese Day each offer an additional 20 vendors to the day’s mix. Peg really enjoys using her passion for photography to promote the diversity of farming and food producers found at the market. The summer market opens again on June 25 and you can follow the market on Facebook.

Each month, we are posting the 2014 Massachusetts Agriculture Calendar’s photo of the month. Featuring photos of Bay State farming, the calendar is available for purchase. All photos were taken by amateur photographers who won the annual Massachusetts Agriculture Calendar Photo Contest. Proceeds from the $10 calendars benefit Massachusetts Agriculture in the Classroom, a non-profit organization that works with teachers to develop classroom materials. The calendar features a winning photograph each month, as well as interesting facts about local agriculture.

Written By:

Julia Grimaldi
DAR Program Coordinator

With a background in the culinary arts, nutrition education and program development, Julia joined The Department of Agricultural Resources Division of Agricultural Markets in 2008 to help spread the word about Massachusetts’ incredible agricultural and culinary opportunities. She also coordinates several grant and marketing programs available to a diversified group of growers and agricultural associations across the Commonwealth. A Boston University graduate, she can be found in her spare time sourcing out the best local products for her next culinary creation or volunteering in the community.

Tags: #buylocal, agriculture, DAR, Department of Agricultural Resources, farmers, farmers markets, food, local, MDAR, winter