25 Years of Outdoor Grocery Shopping

Everyone’s favorite farmer-run cooperative market, Hope Street Farmer’s Market, is back in Lippitt Park for the season beginning Saturday May 16, 9am to 1pm. This is the 25th year for the market, and Mayor Elorza will join in celebrating the milestone with a ribbon cutting ceremony. Following on its heels, the Wednesday market opens for the season on May 20 from 3 to 6pm.

For those preferring pie to politicians, the market has added several vendors to an already strong lineup of over 60. New entrants this season include Humble Pie Co., whose savory and sweet pies sell themselves one generous sample at a time. Their website has information on how to care for your pie, though at my place we only seem to know one way.

Hopkins Southdowns will also be at the market, the one and only choice for high quality pastured lamb in the state. Finally, like the angel and devil on either shoulder, Fully Rooted Raw Cold Pressed Juices and Tricycle Ice Cream round out the newcomers for whichever side of a diet you are on. I had a sneak peek at Tricycle’s planned offerings for locally sourced ice cream sandwich flavors this season, and no one will be disappointed.

To keep things interesting, the market cycles through food trucks, with something for all tastes, whether that’s Vietnamese home cooking at Lotus Pepper, nicely charred wood-fired artisan pizza with the Gilded Tomato or mushroom hash on a pretzel roll at Noble Knots. In addition, with guest vendors coming once a month, every week there is something new. This year you can expect to see Fox Point Pickles, Hickory Hill Farm selling jams and jellies, Olive del Mundo with a dizzying selection of olive oil and vinegar and Farm to Gold peerless grass-fed Ghee, or clarified butter.

The Hope Street Farmers’ Market has bounced around over its 25-year history, originally beginning at Kennedy Plaza, but has been at Lippitt Park for the last eight years and has expanded on its success with the Wednesday market starting three years ago. What has remained the same over the years is their cooperatively run essence. I spoke with Marni MacLean Karro, owner of Jack’s Snacks, a Cranston based dog bakery and boutique, a fixture at the market. She said all vendors vote and take a turn assisting with the administrative side of the market. “It’s all of us together” she said. “That’s what I love.”

Lippitt Park
Corner of Blackstone Boulevard and Hope Street
Providence