Local Farmers Market Brings Community and Fresh Food Together in Lexington

On Tuesdays from 2 to 6:30 p.m., the Lexington Farmers Market opens at the Worthen Road Practice Field, offering fresh, locally grown food and a chance for the community to connect. Now celebrating its 21st season in 2025, the market brings together farmers, food vendors, and residents who care about supporting local agriculture and healthy eating.

The market was started back in 2005 by Lexington resident Sonia DeMarta and her friends, who wanted to bring a public farmers market to their town. Inspired by concerns about the challenges farmers face and the lack of fresh, tasty produce in supermarkets, they worked for over a year to organize local farmers and volunteers to launch the market. Today, the market hosts 23 vendors, selling everything from sweet corn and cheese bread to baked goods and microgreens.

Farmers like Genevieve Stillman emphasize the importance of buying local. She explains that shopping at farmers markets helps keep money in the community and supports local jobs. Plus, the food tastes better. “People have forgotten how good, good food is,” Stillman says. Her farm even works hard to offer the first sweet corn of the season, picked fresh each morning.

The market also focuses on making healthy food accessible to everyone. While the market accepts SNAP benefits (food assistance funds), it also offers a matching program that doubles their value for shoppers in need. In 2024, over $61,000 was spent through food assistance at the market, helping both families and local farmers. However, recent cuts to food assistance programs threaten this important support.

Managing the market is Andrew Maggiore, who works to bring a variety of vendors together to meet customers’ needs. New vendors like Farfalle Italian Market recently joined, offering pasta, sauce, and cheese bread to the community.

Despite challenges, like unpredictable weather and the difficulty of running a farm or small food business, vendors remain committed. Many depend on the farmers market for over 75% of their yearly sales. The market operates rain or shine and even provides extra help during hot days, like shade tents and water for visitors.

More than just a place to buy food, the Lexington Farmers Market is a social space where people interact and feel connected. Leslie Wilcott-Henrie, the market board president, says, “Farmers markets are not just about buying food. They’re about community.” She adds that shoppers often have many personal interactions at the market, unlike the few they might have at a supermarket.

In a world where technology makes many tasks easier but more isolated, the Lexington Farmers Market offers an opportunity to slow down, meet neighbors, and support local farmers while enjoying fresh, delicious food.