What is more irresistible than a farmers market? If you’ve ever enjoyed a peach picked ripe from the tree, an ear of sweet corn just husked that morning, or a juicy tomato still warm from the sun’s rays, you know there’s nothing that compares to farm-fresh, local produce. Getting to know the farm and farmer where your fresh meat, eggs, cheese, or honey comes from deepens our connection to the earth that sustains us.
New Savage Farmers Market
For years, residents of the town of Savage dreamt about how wonderful it would be to have a farmers market on beautiful Baldwin Common, the small County park just across Foundry St. from Savage Mill. This year, thanks to the dedication of a cadre of like-minded community volunteers, that dream is coming to fruition. The first-ever Savage Farmers Market opens Wednesday, May 29! It will bring a vibrant array of fresh vegetables, fruit, meat, bread, coffee, flowers, jams, honey, baked goods, ice cream, pet treats, prepared foods, and more to the heart of Savage. The goal is twofold – to support local farmers and producers, and to foster relationship-building and a sense of community within the town of Savage, MD.
Shop, Eat, and Linger
Running on Wednesdays from 3:30-7:30pm through Aug. 28 (except for June 19, in honor of Juneteenth and to make space for the town’s second annual Juneteenth Commemoration Celebration), the Market is timed to enable shoppers to stop by after work and purchase supplies for the coming week. The Market’s location on Baldwin Common, an idyllic park shaded by a magnificent canopy of trees, will encourage people to linger, chatting with farmers and making new friends.
Celebrate Farmers and Producers
The Savage Farmers Market is dedicated to supporting and celebrating local farmers and producers. In fact, some of the farmers are hyper-local, such as Savage-based Backyard Apiaries and Savage Honey Company, and Indigo & Ivy Farm, a flower farm. Many other vendors are within a 30-minute drive of Savage, such as produce farms Communitas Farm and Sandy Spring Gardens; bakeries Cakd’D By Niqua, Sweet Secrets Bakery, and AppleCore’s Bake Shoppe; and jams and jellies producers Gram’s Jams and Shake and Serve Jams & Jellies. On the Savage Farmers Market Facebook Page and Instagram Page, beautifully illustrated profiles about each vendor reveal interesting tidbits about their background, philosophy and business, aiming to build a personal connection between consumers and farmers.
Snack and Dinner Options
A changing array of food trucks and stalls will beckon shoppers to grab a snack or dinner to take home or enjoy while picnicking on the grass or adjacent patio. Foodies will delight in offerings ranging from BBQ-Mexican fusion to pizza, empanadas to crab cakes, South African biltong to Indonesian dishes. Sweet and savory crepes, baked goods, and an ice cream cart will cap off the perfect summer evening.
Celebrate Community
To further enhance the sense of community, each week several local organizations will be on hand to present activities and information about their programs and services. Local musicians will lend their talents to create a lovely atmosphere. The acoustic delights will range from the serenade of a strolling accordion player to small bands performing crowd favorites and new tunes.
Support the Savage Farmers Market
There are ample opportunities to lend a hand at making the Savage Farmers Market the best one in Howard County. Volunteers assist committee members at weekly markets – the commitment can be as little as 2-3 hours. This is a great way to play a role in creating a welcoming gathering place for all.
There’s also an opportunity to make a financial donation to the sustainability of the Savage Farmers Market. While this first year is volunteer-led, contributions will allow the Market to cover marketing costs and hire a Market Manager next summer to help with day-of operations and ensure the long-term viability of the Market. From now through Opening Day, Carroll Baldwin Hall, the town community center, and Savage Mill will each match up to $500 in community contributions. Please be a “Friend of the Savage Farmers Market” and join us in raising $2,000 towards the Market’s success. Limited-edition swag will be distributed at Opening Day to those who make at least a $5 donation.
Getting Here
Getting to the Savage Farmers Market is easy! We’re just off I-95 and Rt. 1 at Highway 32. For those who live nearby, walking or biking to the Market is encouraged – an extensive trail system connects Savage with Columbia and beyond. Parking options for Savage Farmers Market customers include the parking lot at the United Methodist Church of Savage, just across Baltimore St. from the Market, as well as street parking further north on Foundry St.
Stop by to purchase healthy, local food and connect with new faces at the inaugural Savage Farmers Market this summer! Together we’re Savage!
