BAR HARBOR — Explore local offerings at the YWCA of Mount Desert Island from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 17, and third Sundays throughout the winter. Discover favorites from area farmers and food producers while browsing displays from Island Arts Association crafters. SNAP/EBT is accepted, with SNAP shoppers eligible to earn $1 in Maine Harvest Bucks for every $2 spent.
One of the best parts of eating locally is that it offers the chance to connect with the people growing your food. Whether you like to trade vegetables with your friends, purchase eggs from a seasonally stocked cooler a half mile down the road, or patronize small businesses in your area founded by your neighborhood entrepreneurs, food tastes best when you know it has been produced with love. Purchasing local foods is also a great way to support Maine’s growing network of farmers, bakers, coffee roasters, and chefs who are working in concert with their communities to build resilient local food economies.
This winter, you can find some of your favorite farmers and food producers from the Bar Harbor Eden Farmers Market and others at the YWCA of Mount Desert Island on 36 Mt Desert St in Bar Harbor. Blazing Sky Farm of Brooks will have winter greens, squash, and root vegetables, as will Orland-based Rainbow Farms, alongside their pasture-raised meat and eggs. Seal Cove’s own mushroom maven, Middle Earth mushrooms, will come with nutrient-packed shiitakes and oysters, and solar-powered Precipice Coffee of Ellsworth will sell coffee by the cup and by the bag as well as their locally famous baked goods.
From Pembroke, Pen & Cob Farm will offer microgreens in addition to Downeast holiday treats like spruce syrup and wild blueberry jam. You can also shop for Sunset Acres’ creamy and delectable goat cheese, produced in Brooksville on the banks of the Bagaduce River, bagels to rival New York’s best from Bill’s Bagels of Orono, and the freshest pasta you’ve ever tasted via Italian-trained MDI Pasta Girl. Be sure to check out the high-quality craft products made by members of the Island Arts Association: you can stock up for the week while shopping for holiday gifts.
All farm and food products (except those consumed on the premises) can purchased with SNAP benefits. All SNAP customers will receive $1 back in Maine Harvest Bucks for every $2 spent, which can be redeemed for any Maine-grown produce at the market. The SNAP booth at the market is made possible through an ongoing partnership with Maine Federation of Farmers Markets, a statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting farmers markets and ensuring that local food can be enjoyed by all. The Winter Farmers and Crafters Market was organized by market vendors with the support of Healthy Acadia and the YWCA of MDI.
The market will be held indoors on the third Sunday of each month from December through March, beginning Dec. 17. The market will run from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm.
YWCA Mount Desert Island has been helping women on MDI since 1904. YWCA Mount Desert Island is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women, and promoting peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all. Learn more at https://www.ywcamdi.org.
Healthy Acadia is a 501(C)(3) community health organization working to build vibrant communities and make it easier for everyone to lead healthy lives. They serve Washington and Hancock counties and provide additional community health support and leadership across Maine. For more information about Healthy Acadia’s community health initiatives, visit https://www.healthyacadia.org.
