Sheffield Farmers' Market

Sheffield Farmers' Market frames itself around a clear mission: strengthening the community by creating a marketplace where local farmers, food producers, artists, and educators can sell directly to the public while promoting local business, healthy eating, and social gathering. Founded in 2000, the market continues that work on Friday afternoons in Sheffield, tying its present-day schedule to a much longer local farmers market tradition that the town traces to the 18th century. The result is a market with a stated civic purpose as well as a shopping list: direct sales, local food, and a regular weekly gathering point in the center of town.

Why it matters locally

The market’s mission explicitly connects commerce, healthy eating, and social gathering in one place, giving local farmers, food producers, artists, and educators a direct public outlet in Sheffield. That local emphasis is backed by the market’s history: it was founded in 2000, and its own history notes that farmers’ markets in Sheffield date back to the 18th century.

The organization around the market is also distinctly local. A steering committee includes Jim Kelly, Julie Hannum, Rev. Jill Graham, Megan Smith, Erna Lampman, Kathy Orlando, Ruby Littman, Alyssa VanDurme, and Melissa Kain, while Michelle Haviland and Rachel Mills serve as market co-managers. The Sheffield Association serves as the market’s fiscal sponsor, adding another town-based layer to how the market operates.

What you'll find there

The vendor mix here leans practical and dinner-oriented, with produce, flowers, meats, cheese, preserves, and baked goods all represented in a compact Friday market. Several vendors also bring products that cross categories, so a single stop can cover cooking ingredients, table goods, and take-home treats.

• -Pick up flowers, herbs, heirloom vegetables, jams, and jellies from First Flower.
• -Find beef, pork, and chicken from West Colebrook Farm.
• -Look for cheeses from Cricket Creek Farm, which also grills sandwiches at the market.
• -Grab a garlic and herb round from Hillside.
• -Choose from pies, galettes, cakes, granola, muffins, cookies, and savory baked goods from The Sweetish Baker.

The market’s own vendor materials also put names and faces alongside several stands, including Georgia at First Flower, Oriana and Joe with West Colebrook Farm, Beth at Cricket Creek Farm, and Hanna behind The Sweetish Baker.

The summer market season runs on Fridays from 3 to 6 pm from May 22 through October 09, and the market is also described as operating Friday afternoons from May through October at the Old Parish Church.

Know before you go

No dogs are allowed, which is the detail most likely to affect a visit if you usually bring a pet along. The market is held at the First Congregational Church parking lot at 125 Main Street, placing it in the center of town for Friday shopping. Market materials also describe the Friday afternoon market as operating at the Old Parish Church, so the church setting is part of how the market identifies its location.

Plan for an outdoor parking-lot setup rather than an indoor venue, and note that restrooms are not available on site. If you need a point of contact, Michelle Haviland is listed as a market co-manager and as the manager name for the market.

Payments & SNAP

The market accepts cash, credit and debit cards, EBT cards, WIC and market coupons, and BerkShares. SNAP shoppers can use EBT here, and the market states that it offers Triple SNAP Match. That broad payment mix makes this a workable stop for shoppers using either standard card payments or food assistance benefits.