’Tis the season for indoor farmers markets in Rhode Island! The Aquidneck Growers Market is just one of a number of Rhode Island winter markets open this season.
Even though we’re deep into the coldest months of the year, there is still an abundance of fresh, local, seasonal food available in Rhode Island. One indoor market, the Aquidneck Growers Market, is held in the heart of downtown Newport at Stoneacre Garden on Saturdays 9 am–noon and is operated by Aquidneck Community Table (ACT). You can stock up on the week’s groceries and then grab a drink or bite to eat in the Stoneacre’s dining room for brunch or lunch or return later for dinner.
A recent Saturday was a perfect brisk sunny day to head to the Aquidneck Growers Market to explore everything the market has to offer from local growers and purveyors. Downtown Newport was sparkling with recent snowfall but the air was still crisp as my roommates and I walked towards Stoneacre Garden, anticipating the treats that lay inside. From baked goods to seafood to organic and conventionally grown veggies, the market hosts a variety of local foods and artisanal products.
Here are just a few of the vendors you can find at the market:
Pat’s Pastured is a family-owned farm that specializes in quality pastured-raised meats. Choose from chicken, various cuts of beef and a wide variety of sausages including maple breakfast, chorizo and pork bratwurst, to name just a few. Our personal favorite is the hot Italian! Pat’s also sells their fresh farm eggs, bone broths, several types of bacon, pork chops and other cuts.
Shewatuck Farm’s winter offerings include delicata and butternut squash, winter kale and carrots. We purchased some leeks, along with some scallops and haddock from The Local Catch to add to a spicy seafood stew.
Barden Family Orchard offers a variety of apples—including Granny Smith, EverCrisp and McIntosh—plus their fresh apple cider. All of these apple varieties and vegetables from other vendors are key ingredients in some of the best hearty winter meals. Slice apples up for an apple galette or serve roasted or stewed with sausage!
Even though gloves and hats aren’t edible, they are crucial to staying warm in the New England winter. Moonlight Rose Alpaca Farm’s alpacas are raised in nearby Swansea, Massachusetts. David Rose raises the alpacas, then brings their fiber to a mill in Fall River, where it is processed and then spun at several mills across the Northeast. Alpaca fiber is extremely versatile, soft, strong and breathable, perfect for warm winter accessories!
All of these vendors mentioned above make up only a fraction of what the market has to offer. Below are 18 more vendors that attend the Aquidneck Growers Market on Saturdays:
Vegetables and other winter crops:
Baked goods and treats:
Bites and sips:
Other goods for your home and kitchen:
At the end of our successful shopping trip and fun-filled morning, we returned home with great winter bounty and were ready to cook and eat delicious food all week! Nothing is better than fresh local food on a cold winter’s day. You can learn more about this season’s market on the Aquidneck Community Table website where you will also find their full list of vendors. Or visit this list of indoor markets around Rhode Island for one that’s closest to you.
Copyright ©2024 Edible Rhody. All rights reserved |Privacy Policy
