Lewes farmers market losing farm-to-community program
The Historic Lewes Farmers Market is getting ready to mark its 20th anniversary of making fresh, local products available to the community.
However, the impending loss of funding for its farm-to-community program has HLFM leaders scrambling to find ways to keep it going.
In 2023, the Delaware Department of Agriculture chose HLFM to create a program that would pay local farmers to grow food and make it available to food pantries in Sussex County. The resulting system expanded to Kent County last year.
The program gives 4,000 people in need weekly access to locally grown fruits, vegetables, meat and dairy products, and eggs.
According to Eleanor Shue, HLFM executive director, funding for the program was set to expire this July.
Now, since the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Local Food Purchase Assistance Program that provided its funding has been terminated, the local program will not be renewed past that date.
Shue said the market has issued an urgent plea for donors to step in and try to make up for the loss.
“This is a huge loss, especially from August to December,” Shue said. “Our customers, volunteers and supporters have been understanding of how big this program is.”
The nonprofit HLFM will open for the season at 8 a.m., Saturday, May 3, at George H.P. Smith Park. Shue said there will be more than 30 vendors, about the same as last year.
The HLFM Wednesday market will open at 8 a.m., June 4, at Crooked Hammock. Shue said it will have double the number of vendors this year.
The market will celebrate its 20th anniversary Saturday, July 5, and Shue said there are special commemorative T-shirts available for purchase in sizes for adults and kids.
The popular tomato festival will be held Saturday, Aug. 2, and Kids Day will take place Saturday, Aug. 16.
Dogs are not allowed at the market. Shue said there has been a great response to the policy, which started last year.
Shue said the market has 160 volunteers, but they are always looking for more.
For more information or to donate to the HLFM, go to historiclewesfarmersmarket.org.
Bill Shull has been covering Lewes for the Cape Gazette since 2023. He comes to the world of print journalism after 40 years in TV news. Bill has worked in his hometown of Philadelphia, as well as Atlanta and Washington, D.C. He came to Lewes in 2014 to help launch WRDE-TV. Bill served as WRDE’s news director for more than eight years, working in Lewes and Milton. He is a 1986 graduate of Penn State University. Bill is an avid aviation and wildlife photographer, and a big Penn State football, Phillies and PGA Tour golf fan. Bill, his wife Jill and their rescue cat, Lucky, live in Rehoboth Beach.
