Westport Farmers Market, ©Mardi Welch Dickinson/Kymry Group™ All Rights Reserved.

As I continue this journey in life, I am reminded daily of lessons and values that my parents instilled in me. At the time these bits of wisdom were entrusted to me, they were unconnected and untested pieces of the larger puzzle of life. It was not necessary or even possible to know the grand scheme then. As I have moved along the road and my perspective broadens, I can see the bigger picture as the newer observations mesh with older pearls and makes clearer the grand scheme. As chapters in a book add new elements to the tale, and the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, older wisdom and new experiences make up different life chapters within a book that never ends. Those early lessons set the stage to take in life experiences yet to come.

One of the things I adored doing while growing up was a trip in the station wagon with my parents to the local produce farm, which in my hometown was the renowned Henker’s Farm. This was a working farm and they had huge fields of crops growing, and you could see and buy seasonal produce.

Riverbank Farm, Westport Farmers Market, ©Mardi Welch Dickinson/Kymry Group™ All Rights Reserved.

Located on Bedford-Banksville Road near the Bedford line were the almost twenty-four acres that had been farmed for over two hundred years. At one time the land was cultivated for growing food for the French Hospital, a makeshift hospital located across the street.

When you walked down the long sloping driveway, on the left was the farmhouse and off to the right were two barns, one for tractors and machinery and the other for the produce sales. In the background past the barns and along the driveway was a stand of Norway spruce that must have reached one hundred feet tall and stood in a row two hundred feet long. These massive trees, a haven for the local American crows, spread their drooping branches over the driveway. Beyond the spruce row, and to both sides, were fields of at least ten acres each.

While I could not imagine it at the time, this was real honest sustainable agriculture. We bought often and ate well for many delightful weeks during the warm months. Who knew farm to table, back then, it was a fact of life. Or knew or cared about suburban growth either, the farm had so much history and presense, it was always there and it seemed like it would always be there. Well it is gone now I’m sad to say, the farm was sold for more money than produce could supply and now well crafted mini mansions have sprouted up from the old farm yards adding to the tax base and with not a care about a quality of life that can’t be restored.

Rose’s Berry Farm. Customer buying fruit. Westport Farmers Market, ©Mardi Welch Dickinson/Kymry Group™ All Rights Reserved.

The modern version of Henker’s Farm is the local Farmer’s Market. The absolute joy that is fresh produce, now comes to visit on a weekly basis from those regions still blessed with farms and open space. The hardworking farmers now live further outside of densely packed suburbia, and the local denizens living now in the new improved farm free zones do not have drive to distant farms to partake of locally grown produce.  There are other benefits to local Farmer’s Markets….

Tomatoes of many varieties.

l. to r. Customer talking with Rebecca Bucciaglia, C0-Owner, Fort Hill Farm, Westport Farmers Market, ©Mardi Welch Dickinson/Kymry Group™ All Rights Reserved.

Bread, Olive oil & Pastries.

Jake Rapoport, Wave Hill Breads, Westport Farmers Market, ©Mardi Welch Dickinson/Kymry Group™ All Rights Reserved

Beets, Cucumbers, Cabbage & Greens.

l. to r. ?, Laura McKinney, Co-Owner, Riverbank Farm LLC. Westport Farmers Market, ©Mardi Welch Dickinson /Kymry Group™ All Rights Reserved.

Granola Bars of top shelf.

Jerri Graham, Owner, Nothin But Foods. Westport Farmers Market, ©Mardi Welch Dickinson/Kymry Group™ All Rights Reserved

Farmstead goat milk cheese of superior taste.

Paul Trubey, Owner of Beltane Farm talks with customers. Westport Farmers Market, ©Mardi Welch Dickinson/Kymry Group™ All Rights Reserved.

Mobil Wood-fired Pizza.

Jeff Borofsky, Owner, Skinny Pines Pizza, Westport Farmers Market, ©Mardi Welch Dickinson/Kymry Group™ All Rights Reserved.

Fine Foods Chilean style.

l. to r. Du Soleil owners, Soledad Del Castillo Blanco, Maria Munoz Del Castillo.  Westport Farmers Market. ©Mardi Welch Dickinson/Kymry Group™ All Rights Reserved.

Milk, Cream, Yogurt that are delightful.

l. to r. ? Trinity Farm. Westport Farmers Market, ©Mardi Welch Dickinson/Kymry Group™ All Rights Reserved.

Coffee + Cold Roman + Roman Kiss are exquisite and for the sophisticated Palate.

Donny Raus, Owner of Raus Coffee, Pouring a Cold Roman. Rich and delicious! Westport Farmers Market, ©Mardi Welch Dickinson/Kymry Group™ All Rights Reserved.

Flowers.

Customer’s last stop for flowers. Westport Farmers Market, ©Mardi Welch Dickinson/Kymry Group™ All Rights Reserved

Westport Farmers Market Winter Market  is now on through March 16th, 2013 at Gilbertie’s, 7 Sylvan Lane Westport CT. WFM’s Summer Market will return May 23, 2013 at 50 Imperial Avenue in the Parking lot.

No part of this article including all photographs may be used without written permission. All images are available for Licensing or to purchase prints. Contact Mardi Welch Dickinson at mardi@kymrygroup.com or 203-846-0359.

This intellectual property may not be reproduced, including copying, transmitting, or saving of digital files, and the alteration or manipulation of said text or image files is NOT permitted. They are not to be downloaded or reproduced in any way without the written permission from Mardi Welch Dickinson/Kymry Group™ All Rights Reserved.