From the [1] Seacoast Growers Association:

The start of May brings the start of the farmers’ market season.

Seacoast Growers’ Association’s weekly Portsmouth Farmers’ Market opens Saturday, May 2, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Five additional markets open the first week of June in Dover, Durham, Exeter, Hampton and Kingston.

Rain or shine, more than 50 local vendors can be found every Saturday in the City Hall lot on Junkins Avenue. Local produce, flowers and garden plants, meats and dairy, breads and pastries, prepared foods, fine crafts and more are fresh for the taking, sold directly by the people who grow and make each item.

What you’ll find

Year-round provisions such as fresh greens, maple syrup, wine, meats and baked goods are plentiful in the market’s early weeks, while other vegetables and fruits are yet growing and ripening to be picked.

Spring is also an especially good time to walk the aisles in search of the perfect plants for your own gardens-or to give as Mothers’ Day gifts. Vegetable and herb starts, bedding plants, perennials and hanging flower baskets abound. Not sure the difference between a Brandywine or a Jet Star tomato? Curious if a snapdragon will grow on your shaded porch? Ask the grower, and get some advice on pest control while you’re at it. Farmers’ markets are an excellent opportunity to learn.

Special Events

As always, the Portsmouth Farmers’ Market presents a different entertainer every week. Opening Day’s live music will feature “folk songs and sing-alongs” by Random Acts of Harmony, a trio from Exeter. The rest of May brings: High Range, May 9; Taylor River Band, May 16; special guest TBA, May 23; and Rock Spring, May 30.

Market Tours will also be available on Saturday, May 9, in conjunction with the Sustainability Fair at the Middle School. Volunteers will meet tour-goers at the fairgrounds and lead them up the hill to the market, where they’ll receive a personalized tour, introductions to the vendors, and tips on how to choose and purchase items at a farmers’ market. There is no charge, and tours are expected to last 45 minutes. They will be conducted every half-hour from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Become a Local Food Advocate!  Learn about the implications of local food choices and how to be represent the local food movement in the Seacoast. The first training will be held on Opening Day, Saturday, May 2. Meet at the Market Information Booth; there is no charge to attend. This program is a joint project of Seacoast Growers’ Association, Slow Food Seacoast, Seacoast Eat Local and Seacoast Local. For more information or to RSVP (requested, but not necessary), contact Michelle Moon at (603) 422-7507 or slowfoodseacoast@gmail.com.