Somerville Winter Farmer’s Market

The folks who run this market have fixed the problems that they had created by changing the rules shortly before the 2013 – 14 season and causing three of the main vendors to stop coming. There is once again a much wider variety of produce and the market is back to having a better mix of produce vendors, staple vendors (things like bread and cheese), and ’boutique’ vendors (things like homemade candy and pre-​prepared meals). This can’t have happened soon enough since the area winter markets are now competing with Boston Public Market, which opened over the summer and also has a variety of produce vendors in wintertime.

The winter iteration of the highly excellent Union Square Farmer’s Market is, unsurprisingly, also worthy of recognition. Clearly, fresh vegetable options are more limited in the winter, in Massachusetts – if root veggies and spinach aren’t your thing, you’re just gonna have to suck it up and deal with already-​past-​its-​prime produce shipped in from California. But the SWFM makes eating local kinda fun. Who said root veggies are limited to Russets and carrots? Here you can find a motley crew of multi-​colored taters (blue, red, golden, and yes, russet), purple (and orange) carrots, Watermelon and daikon radishes, turnips, parsnips, kohlrabi, and beyond. I was even able to nab a late-​season Acorn squash at my visit today. Other fresh options to note: Apples (a good selection from Apex Orchards) and cabbage.
Aside from produce, the SWFM plays host to a slew of local vendors of sweets, drinks, and more: Barismo coffee, Union Square Donuts, Foxboro Cheese Co, Dan’s Brick Oven Bread, etc. There are also quite a few local meat vendors so you don’t have to go without your locally-​grazed protein during the colder months.
Bring cash! Tokens are available if you bring a card, but that’s just another step between you and your food – or at least that’s how I see it. Prices are comparable to other farmer’s markets you’ve been to. So, yeah, not cheaper than Market Basket, but the quality is beyond comparison. (Probably cheaper than Star Market, though???)
Overall– a very good winter market. And another reason that I feel lucky to live in the ‘ville!

What a place — vegetables, fish, bread, chocolate, coffee, and live music. It’s a bustling place that makes you love to be part of the community here! Also very cool that they have a «token exchange» — buy tokens with a credit card that ensure you can pay all the vendors. Most of the vendors take credit cards, but cash or tokens are fastest.

Good things
— Union Square Donuts: Vanilla bean donut. I love the light chewy texture of these.
— Taza Chocolate: Yumm. But very pricey.
— Oak Knoll Cheese: Very friendly with samples, wide cheese selection. Their garlic fromage blanc is amazing.
Disappointing things:
— Great Cape Baking Co.: Apple cider donuts were a bit too dry and dense, and not flavorful enough.

This review is only reflecting the Farmers Market part.
I came here with my sister on Saturday to pick some up items. She has a farm share. The eggs were $ 8 a dozen! WHAT?! lol. so yea. i was in complete shock. She got a variety of veggies. She also picked up meat but it was at a different location.
So I walked around a bit. There were so many little stands and they all offered a variety of things. I didn’t get a see all of it but mostly veggies or different sorts. The price is a bit expensive however so i don’t know how much I would spend here if I were to pick up something here and there. It’s still cool though and I love the idea of buying straight from farmers rather than a market but sometimes your wallet dictates where you can go. I want to give it a 3.5 stars but settled on 3 instead of 4 because of its price.

Adela & Jude are traveling musicians, and food activists — and this is one of our favorite markets to perform at. It’s a beautiful space, the vendors are all so great and there’s a great selection of fresh produce and locally produced goods.
We’re performing at the Market again on February 15^th, and always looking forward to it. Big nice stage, and the only downside is parking is tough around the area.

A winter market? Enough said.
Packed with my cool neighbors? Awesome.
And with yummy looking local produce and ready to eat foods?
Only downside: parking situation. Take your bike, obvi and a backpack.

long winter chokes earth
heart warms at sight of farmer
dirt and love make food
I don’t think I can gush enough about this Farmer’s Market. I’m just so righteously angry that such a market does exist in more place and on more days of the week. If I lived near this place, I wouldn’t shop anywhere else. Not TJs, not Whole Foods, not worth it. This market has all that you need to keep a tummy happy. Lots of sample. Apple cider donuts from Great Cape Baking Co. Kumbucha to counteract the apple cider donuts.
Somerville, my only complaint to you is: SEVEN DOLLARS for a DOZEN EGGS! I don’t care what your excuse is — –that is robbery. I can buy my own chicken for $ 25. And so, I begrudgingly buy 3 dozen at a time from Stillman’s farm for $ 15.
Nobscot Cheeses are awesome.
Honey amazing.
Grass fed pork, beef, lamb. Delish.
Frozen fruit.
Green stuff.
Root stuff.
Treats (like chocolate, nuts, bread, etc).
AMAZING mozzarella (seriously buy it, and then contemplate making it yourself)
Why aren’t you closer? Summer, come faster.
It does get VERY crowded, and is worth it to come early. A lot of the vendors take cards but if you don’t have cash, you can buy tokens with your card, and voila! You can buy now.
Eat local. Eat Fresh. Be a better human.

I can’t say enough about the Winter Market. The location is perfect for this kind of community gathering. This place is only a short distance from our place, so we try to visit every weekend, and every weekend we are blown away.
Before you start shopping, you can stop in the café for a quick coffee and a nibble of pastry. Then, you can wander the 2 floors of food vendors selling everything from craft wines to hand-​made candies. There are plenty of Winter staples here, like root veggies and greenhouse fare, but you can also find fresh baked bread, gluten free baked items and fresh meat and fish.
They offer a pretty convenient chip system, which they offer on a 1:1 exchange, so that you don’t have to deal with cash in the lines. This is incredibly helpful and has saved us a lot time and hassle.
Finally, there’s the entertainment and vibe. You wouldn’t expect this to be a hopping place, like a Summer market, but this place has a buzz. There’s usually a musical performer, and everyone is just friendly and chatty. This is definitely a place to come out, relax, and interact with your community.
Drivers take note– parking is limited so try to get here ½ hour before opening if you want a spot, otherwise it’s a battle.

Rumor has it we almost missed out on having the winter market running this season. Eeeps! That would have been so sad.
We’re down a dairy vendor this year which is a bit of a bummer but the new vendors and rotating vendors have been wonderful! You’ve got to try some of Viollette’s gluten free baked goods even if you love traditional baked goods, that woman is a baking goddess! Watch the market’s Facebook page for vendors and events and just be prepared for a bit of a crowded experience when they’re running a few things on the side (seed swaps, library card drives, Broga events, etc…).
Oh, and definitely bring CASH, and a couple of REUSABLE SHOPPING BAGS.

My first time going to the SWFM. I didn’t really get to delve too deep into everything this is all about. I was overwhelmed by all of the colors and smells but underfunded to partake in most of them. Ordered some quiche and a latte in the café. A little expensive and somewhat slow service but still nice.
If you are looking for a Crunchy/​Granola/​Birks scene that’s also healthy for you than this is the place.

This market is amazing! bustling, music, great energy, local foods!
We come here specifically for lilac farms. What an awesome addition– i hope they’re here to stay. Their meats are grass-​fed and often cheaper than whole foods! We also buy our carrots, spinach, and eggs at the market.
Definitely go early though because the best cuts of meat sell out very quickly!

Shake off your Friday night sins and come here to feel better about both your diet and yourself by stocking up on nothing but the finest in locally grown and locally sourced foodstuffs.
This indoor veg-​fest always manages to brighten up my winter Saturdays and send me home with tons of healthy treats. From 9:30am-2:30pm in the lovely Arts at the Armory space, there’s a meeting of the stomachs with farms, bakeries, cheese mongers and purveyors of other fine local goodies. Breads, meat, eggs, veggies, fruits, wine, chocolate, cheese, pasta… the list goes on and on.
Ever had a watermelon radish? I have, and it’s amazing. Parsnips? Got em. Sweet potatoes? Yessir. Dino Kale? Tyrannosaurus yes. And if you lean more towards carrot cake than carrots– there are plenty of baked good options here for you as well. Great Cape Baking nails it with their apple cider donuts plus there’s Hi-​Rise & Dan’s Brick Oven bread for your carb fix. Or swing by 7ate9 Bakery’s booth for some of the most delicious cheesecake. Parched from all that shopping? Grab some Kombucha from Culinary Cruisers.
Final Takeaways:
*bring cash (I said local, not cheap)
*come with reusable bags for your goodies
*be open-​minded, ask questions, and finally… try the samples.
I mean, maybe you’ve gone your whole life not knowing the glories of Dino Kale (or Apple Cider Donuts) and that’s just sad.

Word to the wise… go early! A few more words to the wise:
bring cash
be patient
be nice
be in a good mood
get some foxboro cheese company fromage blanc (my favorite is their lemon honey)!
get some wiiiiine. Turtle Creek wine had a very nice wine representative who sold me and my fiancé a couple bottles of white (riesling for me, chard for him) and my friend got two bottles of wine (riesling and their amazing cabernet)!
Watch out for roaming children and strollers.
Be careful in their tiny parking lot as it seems people fail to understand how to drive. and walk.
This place still gets five stars, especially last weekend when it was Dec 1, 2012 and the first snow. IT was beautiful!
GO! GO!

We came here the day we were leaving MA after spending 2 nights in Somerville after picking up our rental car. The previous evening we had visited Haymarket and that was too far to return to. I didn’t care whether some of the produce was organic or not. We drove over and literally stayed for FIVE minutes. The blocks leading to the market says no parking, permit only, yet there was no place to park!!! We saw some locals parked in permit only parking spots but stayed in the vehicle while the wives go get the produce.
There were just a handful of vendors. the entire farmer’s mkt was no more than ½−¾ of a block. Most of the items were organic and the prices were super high, compared to what we’re used to at our farmer’s mkts in northern Calif., even for *organic* produce. We left with 2 ears of corn, though i don’t think they were organic.

Between this winter farmer’s market and the summer one in Union Square, I feel that I am offered wonderful access to fresh produce, poultry, seafood, and other goodies at a fair price given the quality of the offerings.
As others have mentioned, parking can be a bit of a challenge but it is totally worth it in the end. The market has definitely maximized the space by getting a lot of home-​grown and homemade goodness packed into the space, where the organized chaos is part of the charm of the building and the market.
Upstairs, there are usually a half a dozen vendors or so, including the absolutely fabulous Jordan Brothers Seafood. Every week, I faithfully march up the stairs with the goal of trying the different selections she brings each week. There are usually 6 or so different seafood offerings, though I am a sucker for the tuna steaks and the scallops. Both taste great with a sear to them, preserving the fresh taste of the sea! But enough about Jordan Brother, this review is about the farmer’s market.
Down on the first floor, this is where I buy eggs from Stillman’s (last week’s carton had a robin’s egg blue-​colored egg). The eggs are divine! $ 4 for ½ dozen, $ 7 for a dozen. This vendor also sells really good chorizo, which makes a great breakfast along with a fried egg. The produce vendors are located on the first floor as well, and depending on the time of year, you will see hearty root vegetables, leafy kale and chard, and herbs. You will also generally see a purveyor or two of wine, cheese, and homemade sweets. Not to be forgotten are the wonderful cider donuts!
This is quite a family friendly event as well. Generally there are musical acts including DJ’s and acoustic guitars. There is a wonderful vibe as people and families mill around the vendor offerings.
I generally try to bring cash, as that is the preferred method of payment. You can use your card to get «market money», but I find that coming prepared is the best bet. I am looking forward to seeing the market transition outside and shopping in the sun at Union Square. The parking lot in back can be a bit of a fiasco, so I tend to park on the street.

Take an outdoor market and shove it under the roof of an anachronistic structure for extra-​seasonal availability and mid-​blizzard root veggie hunting. Eat my ‘snips, Jack Frost!
The big payoff here is the outstanding mix of local favorites (Taza, Fiore, Stillman, HI-​Rise) with rotating newbs to the ‘Ville’s vibrant gypsy market scene (Katalyst Kombucha, Turtle Farms Wines, Apex Orchards). Pick your poison — it’ll be sold here in its most organic state.
The floors are filled and the kids will be kept calm with face painting and samples of nature’s candy (golden carrots are a new fave) or good ol’ fashioned candy (EHChocolatier’s rochers? Clear out brats). If you find yourself sans paper, wooden nickels representing market money can be purchased at the refreshment counter, which alos happened to be pouring Slumbrew. Jam!
Samples abound, decent pricing (got a pound of local honey for $ 6) and a solid assortment of vendors put the market at four stars. The fact that it’ll run while there’s snow on the ground gives it a Woohoo five.

Being from CA I really appreciate that this Winter’s farmers market actually can give us Somerville people some good produce even when there is snow on the ground everywhere! They have some parking in the back, but if you bike here you can enter yourself in a raffle, so that is a win win right there!
This place has meat if you want meat, even some chorizo but it isn’t the cheapest meat in the world. But what is cheap is 2 pounds of locally caught mussels for $ 5!!! Yup $ 5! I’ve never been so excited buying seafood before until this place. And they had so many leafy, wonderful greens – kale (two kinds actually), collard greens, spinach… the list goes on and on and we even got some of the best carrots I’ve ever tasted! There is some wine tasting too, and of course some tasty cheeses too. And in case you want to get food and eat it there, or sip on a coffee or something (yup they have that too!) they always have live music here and even some face painting for kids too. Definitely a winner when it comes to farmers market, and since it is indoors, every week you can be a winner no matter the weather!

Eat local, Somerville. And do so by going to a fortress for your root vegetables.
The Somerville Winter Farmer’s Market is very, very busy, but absolutely awesome. It’s run well, you can use a credit card to buy «chips» if you don’t have cash on hand, and the vendors are excellent. Fresh breads, meats, cheeses and stuff from the ground.
Absolutely wonderful, and I hope it comes back next year.

When I read online that the Somerville Armory would be hosting a Winter Farmers Market this year, I was ecstatic. The Armory is 2 blocks from my apartment and a gorgeous, vast space. A perfect place for a winter market.
Today was opening day and the place was PACKED! From baked goods to cellar-​based produce to local honey to wine, this market left nothing to be desired.
Prices are good, same as any other farmers market. Most vendors take debit and credit cards which is mega convenient. Parking is probably difficult, I live close so I walked, but Highland Ave is accessible by bus and isn’t a far walk from Davis or Porter.
Way to go Somerville for making local market goods available year round. It’s an amazing asset to the residents here to be able to eat fresh and buy local even in the winter months. Kudos!
Vendors include:
Enterprise Farm, South Deerfield, MA
Winter Moon Farm, Hadley, MA
Stillman’s Farm, Hardwick, MA
Apex Orchards, Shelburne, MA
Cook’s Farm, Brimfield, MA
Austin Brothers Valley Farm, Belchertown, MA
Globe Fish Co, Boston, MA
Hi-​Rise Bread Co., Cambridge, MA
Great Cape Baking Company, Marstons Mills, MA
3 Little Figs, Boston, MA
Seta’s Mediterranean Foods, West Newton, MA
Q’s Nuts, Georgetown, MA
Reseska Apiaries, Holliston, MA
Elaine Hsieh, Chocolatier, Somerville, MA
Taza Chocolate, Somerville, MA
Coastal Vineyards, South Dartmouth, MA
Turtle Creek Winery, Lincoln, MA
Zoll Cellars Winery, Shrewsbury, MA