Severna Park Farmers Market Returns With Farm-Fresh Provisions, Locally Crafted Wares

For over 30 years, the Severna Park Farmers Market has offered the community a wide array of fresh fruits, vegetables and other staples on Saturday mornings from spring through fall. The market’s 2024 season kicked off on April 27, and it will run every Saturday from 8:00am-noon through October 27.

This year’s slate of Maryland-based vendors includes numerous farmers, several area food vendors, and talented local makers selling products they create.

Farmers market attendees can knock out their grocery shopping while supporting local growers and producers by selecting from farm-fresh seasonal vegetables, fruits, eggs, meats, breads, pastries, herbs and more. “Market Master” Anita Robertson, who oversees the Severna Park Farmers Market, highlighted the unique opportunity afforded to market shoppers to have face-to-face conversations with the people who produce the food they purchase.

Among the participating farms are Rosy Side Farm, Pat’s Produce and Gourds, Morris Hill Farm and Zahradka Family Farm. Longtime vendor My Nana’s Kitchen will return with a selection of jams, jellies, eggs and cheese. Vera’s Original Bakery will offer handmade pastries, and The Breadery will have a wide variety of fresh breads and baked goods for purchase. Local herbs, microgreens, honey, wine and rum will also be available.

Hungry market-goers can grab a snack as they shop, such as made-to-order waffles from Baltimore Waffle Co. or gourmet pickles from The Ville’s Dills. Although the market is primarily a “fruit and veg” operation, according to Robertson, attendees can also bring home a bouquet of cut flowers to liven up their homes; stock up on treats for their canine friends; and perhaps pick up a handcrafted gift for someone they love.

Local makers showcasing their wares will include Joyful Clay (handmade functional pottery), Evie & Park (soy candles and wax melts), Chesapeake Fiber Crafters (hand-spun yarn and knit items) and Three Blue Bunnies (recycled denim creations).

Evie & Park owner Ashley Gibbs, who operates the small candle business with her husband, Chris, is an Arnold resident who began hand-pouring soy candles in 2018. Their company is named after their two children, and their participation in the farmers market each weekend is a family affair. Gibbs explained that while she focuses on selling candles, her husband and son run an adjacent booth where they make fresh-squeezed lemonade and cotton candy. Their daughter gets in on the fun, too.

“We put a lot of love and a lot of thought into what we do,” Chris Gibbs said. “It’s not necessarily about the product, it’s more about the venue … the people that organize and run (the Severna Park Farmers Market) are fantastic, and the customers are even better. People treat that place like it’s a grocery store. … We see the same people there every week and I think it says a lot about the status of the community.”

Fellow Arnold resident Lori Beard is the founder and owner of Chesapeake Fiber Crafters. She and about a half dozen fellow makers who live near the Chesapeake Bay – hence the name – create hand-dyed and hand-spun yarn and knitwear such as socks. At an adjoining booth, they offer demonstrations of making yarn on a spinning wheel.

Like Gibbs, Beard always enjoys connecting with the community and her “regular” customers at the farmers market. She and her fellow crafters also look forward to seeing the cute dogs that people bring with them. Chesapeake Fiber Crafters will be at the market every other weekend.

In addition to being a great opportunity to shop local, the farmers market also offers an educational component for attendees interested in home gardening. The Anne Arundel County Master Gardeners, University of Maryland Extension will have representatives on hand each week to provide information on and answer questions about composting, fertilizing, pollinators, plants, soil and more.

The Severna Park Farmers Market will be open every Saturday, rain or shine (barring a significant weather event), from 8:00am-noon through October 27. The Greater Severna Park and Arnold Chamber of Commerce will host a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the beginning of the 2024 season on May 4 at 10:00am.

The market is located in the park and ride lot at the intersection of Ritchie Highway and Jones Station Road. To learn more about participating vendors, check out www.facebook.com/severnaparkfarmersmarket or follow the market on Instagram @severnaparkfarmersmarket.