Shifting Seasons
Our patrons are finally getting the hang of the annual market schedule. Only one person contacted me trying to pre-order last week and no one sent a panicked text on Sunday morning wondering why the market was closed. By now, our seasoned customers know that the Sunday after Thanksgiving we do not have a market. For one, there should be enough leftovers in everybody’s refrigerator to feed a small army for the coming week, but more importantly, being on the highway on Sunday afternoon on a holiday weekend is an absolute nightmare that I would not wish upon my worst enemies. This is when there are drivers on the roads who have no business behind the wheel of a vehicle, and it showed by the incessant chirping from the Montgomery County Emergency Services department sending out texts alerting to accidents and road closures. I sat in front of my fireplace sipping tea and being grateful I was not on the road.
This is the shift in seasons, not just meteorologically when the temperatures drop below freezing, and big white snowflakes fall from the sky, but when seasonal farmers markets close until next spring and farms growing warm season annuals close for the winter.
I am expecting two things to happen this Sunday. First, there will be questions as to the missing vendors who are done for the season. Although our official market season does not end until December 31, there are vendors who, due to the growing seasons of their specific products, have already shut down for the year. The Bethesda market has two administrative seasons—the main season which runs from April through December and then the winter market from January through March. During the winter market, our hours are from 9:30 AM to 1:30 PM which gives the vendors less time to be out in the wintry weather. For some, a few extra degrees, means the difference between products staying cold or being damaged. Over the years we’ve gotten good at keeping fresh foods safe from being nipped by freezing temperatures. Our two seasonal markets— Pike and Half Street— are now closed until next spring.
Other regional neighborhood farmers markets have also closed for the winter which means customers who might not normally shop at the Bethesda market will be showing up this Sunday and until their seasonal markets open again next spring. I know exactly which customers I will once again see who shop other Central Farm Markets as they are closer to home.
Between the loss of seasonal growers and the increased foot traffic this is your fair warning to get to the market first thing in the morning in the coming weeks until we slide into our winter rhythm. In colder weather it also helps to bring along an insulated bag to help shield tender produce. And on those really cold mornings when you don’t want to get out of your toasty warm vehicle, there’s still curbside service from vendors who offer pre-orders. The list can be found here.
The winter season also brings inclement weather which means when it happens the market may be closed. If Montgomery County closes the school events, the market will also be closed. The market has no control over this. Keep in mind that the vendors travel and while there may be no snow in Montgomery County, on the other side of South Mountain there may be enough to prevent safe travel into the city. Don’t be surprised if one of your favorite vendors doesn’t show up when winter weather affects the region. We do our best to keep our customers informed via social media when this happens.
Fear not, Mother Nature takes care of us (and so do all of our wonderful greenhouse growers) with cold weather vegetables that keep for weeks. So stock up on your favorite market goodies just in case winter shuts us down for a week or if a Polar Vortex keeps you at home warm in your jammies reading the Sunday papers. Your farmers won’t judge.