Farmington Valley YMCA in Granby to Host Farmers Market

With Granby’s deep agrarian roots, it comes as a bit of a surprise that the town has not had its own farmers market for years.

That’s about to change this year, however, as the will host a weekly Granby Farmers Market beginning in late June and running through at least mid-September.

Marcy Yanus, the Farmington Valley YMCA’s executive director, said in a telephone interview that the Granby Farmers Market is congruous with the organization’s missions of youth development and social responsibility.

Specifically, Yanus said that giving people the opportunity to eat healthy by offering fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables was in line with the Y’s various other functions including serving as a place to exercise.

“We don’t allow pop or chips at the Y,” Yanus said. “The farmers market is another way to make it easy for the community to eat healthier.”

Yanus said that YMCA nutritionist Alicia Newton along with a committee of volunteers organized the market, which will begin on June 26 and will run from 3 to 6:30 p.m. every Tuesday until at least Sept. 11.

“If it goes well, we will run it through September,” Yanus said.

Yanus credited the organizers of the East Granby Farmers Market, specifically Melien Lavoie, with helping to plan the Granby Farmers Market.

“It’s great to see farmers markets helping one another,” Yanus said.

So far, six farms have signed up to serve as vendors, and the market is looking for four to six more, in addition to entertainers, sponsors and volunteers to serve on the farmers market committee.

The market will also serve as a forum to display some of the YMCA’s programs, such as demonstrations of Zumba classes, Yanus said. Newton will also cook meals at the market and provide the recipes.

For more information or to serve as a volunteer, vendor, sponsor or entertainer, contact Alicia Newton at alicia.newton@ghymca.org, or call 860-653-5524 or visit the Granby Farmers Market website.