Hello, Vendors, Artists, and Friends of the Collingswood Farmers’ Market! Here’s hoping all our loyal customers come out to begin their holiday weekend with us!

Perfect Forecast

Mostly Sunny. Why do forecasters use “Partly” language, when “Mostly” is so much clearer? We’ll have sun on SAT JUL 04, very light winds, very little chance of precipitation, and temperatures that don’t reach the 80s until closing time. Perfect Market weather!

Site Plan for SAT JUL 04

Sad Cancellations

Clam Daddy’s never fully recovered from a very harsh winter, and Far Wind Farm was devastated by last week’s shocking storm.

Neither will be with us this week, SAT JUL 04. Clam Daddy’s will not return this season. And Far Wind Farm is unlikely to have their pastured eggs before late September.

With luck, we’ll see Far Wind Farm at the Market with their cultivated oyster mushrooms, but the loss of 450 laying hens has devastated their egg business.

From Lori and Bill Mayer, of Clam Daddy’s: It deeply saddens us that we will not be able to continue coming to Collingswood Market this season. The harsh winter was very hard on clams up and down the coast. We’ve been trying to work through of our severe production problems, but we no longer have enough sellable-sized clams to supply our wholesale market, let alone bring clams to multiple retail markets. It’s terribly distressing but necessary that we trim back our commitments.

We appreciate and will miss all our friends and customers in Collingswood. Your friendship and loyalty make this a very difficult decision. If ever we are able to return, we hope you’ll welcome us back. It was always a pleasure to serve you.

I’d be happy to speak with any of you at 609-266-0677. A special thank you to David Hodges, one of the most committed Market Directors we’ve ever met, to Cass Duffey for her weekly blasts, and to all the vendors who make the Collingswood Market so successful and have been kind and supportive during our time with you.

Lori
Clam Daddy’s

Guest Vendors

Very few Guest Vendors elect to attend the holiday weekends, but we’ll be hosting three of the very best: Brookeberry and Green-Ford will bring their exceptional berries, and Weckerly’s will be here with their premium local ice cream.

Guest Artist

Exquisite but functional ceramic objects for daily use, designed, fabricated and fired in South Jersey by Rowan ceramic professor Skeff Thomas. Porcelain and stoneware, with work from the artist’s wood-fired pottery kiln in Monroeville, NJ, will be on display, and of course for sale, in the Guest Artist Space 27.

Live Music

Local businessman and popular musician Sam Caruso is back again this week, this time at the East Stage. Also, this week we welcome for his first ever gig in Collingswood, singer-guitarist Marc Sengin to the West Stage.

Small Bills

Many of you know, but for those of you who don’t, I carry small bills for vendors who run out of singles during the Market day.

Dog Tent

The Animal Adoption Center will staff the Dog Tent for us this week, continuing to register dogs that haven’t yet bought their official Market Leash Permits.

Vendors Please Enforce: “No Permit, No Purchase”

This won’t be easy, but it’s necessary. If good dog behavior is important to you, you’ll comply in June with the No Permit, No Purchase policy, declining to serve customers who don’t choose to cooperate with the Permitting and Behavior Guidelines. David Hodges will distribute a small batch of Dog Behavior Guidelines to all vendors for distribution to anyone who appears at your table attempting to make purchases with a non-permitted dog.

BID Vendors

Perennial favorites, DiBartolo Bakery, Villa Barone Restaurant, and Sara’s Produce will all attend. Cheese, Etc., has the week off. No others have reserved BID spaces. Mike DiBartolo of DiBartolo Bakery is your contact for all questions regarding BID participation at the Market. (609) 949-3424 cell for voice or text.

VENDOR PARKING PERMITS

It’s good business to save the best parking spaces for SHOPPERS! Most visitors will tell you it’s tough to find parking at the Market. We make things worse by parking our own vehicles in spaces that could be used and re-used many times by shoppers. Please encourage your table crew to park for free in the Lumberyard Parking Garage (just across Collings Avenue from the west entrance). There are plenty of spaces inside, and the walk back to the Market takes 3 minutes.

Flexible Site Plan

Changes will continue to occur throughout the season as vendors come and go and as we learn more about how neighbors interact. I remind you no spaces are ever guaranteed and require your cooperation if I have to move your location any given week. Thank you.

David Hodges Market Director
Home Office (856) 854-8385
Cell Phone for Market Saturdays (856) 979-6653
collsmkt@davidhodges.com