Leeds Farmers' Market

10/29/2023

Did you know? - The Leeds Farmers Market is affiliated with the local nonprofit Our Town Leeds.

We are a group of Leeds residents who are interested in nurturing a strong sense of community in our growing and changing town. Our first project is to construct a community center to house an upgraded post office, a library, and a multi-use space.

We’d love for you to join us and get involved! Please follow the Our Town Leeds page (or on Instagram) to stay up to date on our progress and be notified of upcoming meetings. All are welcome to attend!

Welcome to Our Town Leeds, the nonprofit dedicated to supporting and improving an inclusive and coherent community in the town of Leeds, Maine.

What does this mean?
We have a few irons in the fire, but our biggest current project is to create a community space including a library, post office space, and a gathering spot where folks can come together with friends, meet new neighbors, and engage in shared activities. We hope to locate this near the current Town Office and History Center.

How can I get involved?
We'd love for community members to join us! We have an upcoming meeting on Wednesday, September 20th at 6:30pm downstairs at the Town Office. You also have the option of becoming a Member of the nonprofit for a $10 annual donation, which entitles you to participate in its annual meeting, vote during Board Member elections, and receive email updates on our progress.

If you have additional questions, please send us a message!

(Our Town Leeds has been determined by the IRS to be a tax exempt organization under section 501(c)(3), so donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.)

08/16/2023

“How can I afford farm-fresh foods on a limited income?”

While the cost of fresh, locally grown foods can be unaffordable for some, there’s good news! Check out this list of options to help you eat healthy and local:

The Maine Senior FarmShare Program provides income-eligible older adults the opportunity to receive a share of local produce from Maine farmers at no cost during the growing season. In Leeds, this is Levesque's Organic Farm farm stand. In addition to providing fresh produce, this program opens doors to other ways to stretch your food budget while supporting local producers. For more information click https://www.maine.gov/dacf/ard/seniorfarmshare/seniors.shtml

Or contact the following:
- Your Area Agency on Aging at 1-877-353-3771; TTY users call Maine Relay 711
- Maine Senior FarmShare Program at (207) 287-3491

SNAP/EBT: Did you know that Farmers’ Markets can accept SNAP/EBT benefits? Find a Farmers’ Market that accepts Food Supplement Benefits (SNAP/EBT) near you. www.mainefarmersmarkets.org Check with your local farmer/farm stand about using EBT/SNAP/Food Stamp benefits.

Maine Harvest Bucks: Double your SNAP/EBT/Food Stamps at farmers’ markets, farm stands and CSA’s with Maine Harvest Bucks. https://www.maineharvestbucks.org/

Leeds Food Pantry: Excess produce and other farm-fresh foods are often donated to the pantry which is open to all Leeds residents. Food distribution is on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of the month from 12-1:30pm and 5-6 pm at the Leeds Community Church on Church Hill Rd.
https://leedscommunitychurch.org/deacons-food-pantry/

RCAM - Rural Community Action Ministry: RCAM’s gardening program provides raised beds to people with physical limitations which would prevent them from planting and tending a traditional vegetable garden. RCAM also plants a community garden which supplies a local farm stand offering free produce and works with local vegetable farmers who donate excess vegetables weekly during the growing season for distribution to food pantries. https://rcam.net/hunger-prevention-services/

Have more ideas? Post them below!

08/04/2023

See how farmers around Maine are providing fresh produce through the Good Shepherd Food Bank's Mainers Feeding Mainers program. By supporting local farmers, you are feeding other Mainers, too!

Good Shepherd Food Bank partners with local Maine farms to provide better access to fresh, nutritious, Maine-harvested food throughout communities in need.

08/01/2023

While you won’t find any peaches at area farmstands this year because of the spring freeze, Leeds farms offer a wide variety of fresh, organically grown produce, dairy and meat options. While food may be cheaper at grocery chains, there are many good reasons to pay that extra and shop from your neighbors.

1. Because locally grown food is fresher, it is generally more
nutritious and better tasting, since it takes a much shorter trip from the farm to your table.
2. Farmers are stewards of their property, protecting open, green spaces, supporting local recreational opportunities, and preserving the rural character of our community.
3. Buying local supports families who own and work on the farms, and direct sales provide more income for farm families.
4. Supporting local food producers helps keep taxes down. The
American Farmland Trust, an organization dedicated to preserving farmland and the working landscape, found that farms contribute more in taxes than they require in services, as opposed to most development which requires more services (roads, schools, emergency services) and generally pay lower taxes.
5. Farms benefit the environment and wildlife. Well-managed farms
support healthy ecosystems by conserving fertile soils and protecting water sources. The patchwork of open farmland and forested areas provide habitat, food and protection for native wildlife in our community. And locally purchased foods require less packaging, transportation, and overall reliance on fossil fuels.

Buying local not only supports farms, it is an investment in the future. By spending food dollars locally, you help ensure the presence of farms in Leeds and food security in the decades to come.

07/18/2023

What’s fresh and local at Leeds farm markets this week? Salad fixings, from greens to tomatoes. Root crops—radishes, beets and carrots. Summer veggies—zucchini, summer squash. Herbs, flowers. Strawberry season is just about over, but blueberries and raspberries are ripening. Cherries are ready but with the wet weather, are fading fast. And don’t forget eggs, beef, pork and fresh chicken at Farmers Gate. Cheeses, breads, jams, and baked goods. And more delights await you. Check out Farmers Gate, Levesque’s, and Garden Spot as well as roadside stands.

06/27/2023

Many thanks to everyone who has come out on Friday afternoons to support the Leeds Farmers Market. We began the market with the goal of showcasing the wide variety of Leeds-grown, high quality, locally produced farm and related goods, as well as offering a place for people to chat with neighbors and meet like-minded people after the restrictions brought about by COVID. While 2022 began that venture on a positive note, for many reasons, that same experience has not characterized this year’s market. And so, we have suspended the Friday afternoon market, beginning immediately. The work of the Farmers Market will continue, evolving to meet the needs of the community – both makers and buyers. Follow us for more information about where that work takes us and how you can be a part of it.

The good news is that many of the products sold at the Leeds market are currently available at Farmers' Gate Market and Levesque's Organic Farm store, where you can find a wide variety of organic and grass-fed meat products, eggs, produce, dairy products (including Canty Cow Creamery ice cream!), syrup and honey, herbs and spices, baked goods, and preserves. Familiar market vendors you’ll find at Farmers’ Gate include Monument Hill Honey, Sparkplug Farm, Friends Folly Farm, Hank’s Greens and Sourdough, and Buckley Farms. And you can find Fair Share Farm Maine at the Wayne Farmers Market on Saturdays!

Buying local benefits our community and the producers. Please continue to support producers by buying from local farm stores, independent farm stands, and farmers markets in nearby communities.

We’d like to thank our vendors, the musicians, and the customers who made this effort worthwhile, and check back--there’s more to come!

06/22/2023

Hello Leeds community and farmers market customers!

The farmers market is such a wonderful asset to our town - a space to meet new folks, catch up with friends and neighbors, and support our local farms and vendors. We know the weather hasn’t been stellar these past few weeks, but we want to make sure our market is worthwhile for our amazing vendors. Without our vendors - and without YOU! - we don’t have a market.

Our market tomorrow is ON and the weather looks great! So come over to the green next to the Leeds Historical Society on route 106 from 3-6pm. You’ll find local produce, meats, baked goods and other delights, and support local growers.

We’ll also have the wonderful Peter Carriveau providing our music!

Your participation is vital to the continuation of the market. Come on down and bring a friend!

06/13/2023

Don’t forget the Leeds Farmers Market on Friday! We’re open from 3-6 on the green outside the historical society on route 106 😍

🥚🥩🥕🫑🫛🍅🥖🧀🍯🖼️

Our vendor lineup:
Larry Acree paintings and wood carvings
P H P Farms
Buckley Farms
Monument Hill Honey
Hank’s Sourdough
Fair Share Farm Maine
Rabbit's Foot Farm
Friends Folly Farm

Our music will be provided by Owen Kennedy this week! 🎶

Please come and support our local vendors and the community - hope to see you there!