On Saturday, June 17, Mason farmers and crafters held the first Mason Village Market, a new venture on the town common that is expected to continue throughout the summer.

Nate Choquette of Rustic Wolf Farm, and one of the organizers of the market, set up under a tent in anticipation of rainy weather. While some vendors set up in the Mason Elementary School in anticipation of showers, many vendors set up on the common as planned, and welcomed customers who came by to see what the market was all about.

“There’s great foot traffic. I’m surprised the weather has held off as long as it has. We’ll take it though – everyone that’s participating in this was dead set, rain or shine: ‘we’re making it happen,’” said Choquette.

Choquette has been running his farm for three years, and had been wanting a hometown market for about as long. His stand featured salad greens and edible flowers, tomatoes, cucumbers and eggs.

“There’s a lot of people that have been looking forward to it. We started this, and we didn’t know what it was going to be like for the first market. I’ve been really anticipating it, and seeing it set up, it just looks like it’s supposed to be here, which is the best part,” Choquette said.

And despite the weather, the market opened to a good amount of visitors, Choquette said.

“It’s already a success, in my opinion,” he said.

Paula Babel, of Babel Sugar Shack in Mason, said she had been anticipating the market since organizers first started to reach out earlier this spring.

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“We’ve never done a farmers’ market before, so this is our first one, and so far so good,” Babel said.

Babel said despite running the sugar house since 2006, not many people in town know they’re there.

“To be able to get the word out and have people sample our product is kind of exciting for us,” she said.

Beth LeClair of Barrett Hill Farm was manning a booth selling strawberries, and donated strawberries for shortcake at the Mason Congregational Church.

“We have an awesome town and community,” LeClair said. We’re hoping for a good season.”

The Mason Village Market will hold market days on the third Saturday of the month in July, August and September. Choquette said organizers will evaluate whether it is popular enough with customers and vendors to hold additional markets, either this summer or next season.

Ashley Saari can be reached at 603-924-7172 ext. 244 or asaari@ledgertranscript.com. She’s on Twitter @AshleySaariMLT.