The Green Market at Stonefield Finishes Season
Sarah Vagnoni, staff writer
The Green Market at Stonefield offers consumers a dose of Charlottesville’s local artisans and farmers. Boasting over a dozen vendors, the market is home to crafters and farmers alike, selling fresh veggies, baked goods, and even leather works. The Green Market at Stonefield aims to elevate the traditional farmers market experience, but it needs more support from local consumers.
Found on the Green at Stonefield, the Green market is open every Thursday and Saturday from May to October. The revenue provides a secluded area, a market seemingly cut off from the bustle of route 29. The Green is the grassy lawn at the end of the Stonefield markets, just before Costco. Shoppers can leave Stonefield’s shops and walk to the Green, distancing themselves from city retail. This separation gives the market a small-town feel; peaceful and quiet, as though the customers have stepped out of Charlottesville and into Crozet.
This was the last week of the market before closing for winter, and the Thursday event began around 4 p.m. This final week was not busy, with four vendors and some live music. A few groups of people sat at picnic tables watching the lone guitarist, and a handful of customers milled around the different vendors.
Sarah Churchill of Mountain Meadows Farm said she had been attending the Green Market since May, setting up her table on both days. Churchill offered organically grown vegetables and fresh meats, as well as homemade lotions and soaps.
Rebecca Lilly, a local artist, had gift cards and different haiku books for sale, as well as some original photography prints. When asked about usual attendance, Lilly said there were more Saturday vendors than Thursday vendors, and she admitted the number of customers had been low. “Hopefully, next year more people will come out,” she said, confirming that Thursday afternoons were often slow.
This unique market should have been full of people, yet it was so quiet you might miss it driving by. Though the season has ended, this market will need increased local support for next season. When the spring season starts back up again, be sure to stop by and see what the Green Market at Stonefield has to offer.
