CENTRAL MAINE • September 23, 2025
I recently applied to participate in the Brunswick winter farmers market. To my surprise, I was denied entry — not because my farm products failed to meet any quality standards, but because decisions were made based on personal popularity rather than agricultural contribution. A bakery was selected over a working farm, and it became clear that farmers were not being prioritized at a farmers market. If we want to preserve family farms, protect farmland and ensure the next generation has access to real, local food, we need to make sure farmers markets put farmers first. Otherwise, we risk turning them into little more than weekend social clubs, while those of us in the fields and barns continue to struggle unseen. ~ Amie Flesh, Brickhouse Farm, Buckfield