We recognize the sad signals that mark the end of summer. The closing of the town swimming pool, school busses reappearing on roads, and trees exchanging their pastel summer wardrobes for autumn shades.
BUT we have not yet had an official farewell to summer. Here in Morristown, as we say goodbye to the Sunday farmers’ market, 
something of the happy spirit of summer rides “down the road apiece” with the farmers.
No longer will we have the opportunity to enjoy freshly grown, local produce. Not until next June can we approach Farmer Tom and ask whether his hens laid any jumbo eggs this morning. And does he have any more home grown garlic? No more will Mr. Chang boast about his beautiful asian pears, as he offers tastes of the sweet fruit on paper plates—that is, to anyone who can outmaneuver the yellow jackets competing with humans for samples. No more will students from Romania on work visas regale us with stories of life in their country. Sometimes the Farmers’ market has special treats for us; the baby Alpacas who come calling some Summer Sundays, while their owners hawk alpaca scarves and sweaters. Country singers with guitars carefully tuned come to entertain on warm musical days. People from town accompanied by their dogs turn the market into a friendly dog park. The bee keepers offer honey containing local pollen to tackle allergies of local people.
The farmers’ market creates the feeling of small town living in times gone by. We gladly accept that feeling and choose to ignore, for a too short time, the steady roar of encroaching highways, airplane flight patterns and traffic jams a few blocks away. Troubles fade away as people drift from one friendly farm stand to the next, greeting the familiar summer farmers, occasional neighbors. They come away humming familiar tunes of the folk singer.
With sweet memories, I bid a fond farewell to you, summer market of 2013.
MorristownMemos 
Comments on: "ODE TO THE FARMERS’ MARKET 2013" (30)
So happy we have our farmers markets year-round here. We are so blessed between what we grow and what we are able to pick up within a five-minute drive. Aloha, Ronnie!
I know how you feel. Our little seaside town here in France is so forlorn now that the summer season has shut down.
I’m jealous you get an extra month out of the farmer’s market season! However, it is always a sad farewell until next year…
Oregano and I love to go to the farmer’s market in Flemington. There is such an air of festivity and community there. I always look forward to the first weekend in the spring when we can go back.
Ronnie … I’ve enjoyed your blog and your visits to mine. You feel just like family. That’s why I nominated you for The WordPress Family Award. Please see my blog for details: http://earth-rider.com/2013/11/17/the-wordpress-family-award/
What a lovely way to describe the market, Ronnie! Makes me feel all warm and comfy. True joy is also the flower market….the vibrant colours, the tantalising fragrances, and yes, now looking forward to winter and its sights and sounds.. 🙂
Farmers’ Markets are delightful places to get fresh fruits and vegetables. There is nothing like that fresh from the garden taste.
Awww. I’ll join you on the Admiration Wagon for Farmers’ Markets.
Now we need something special to enjoy in the winter.
Amazing and Thank you so much articles for sharing
I love farmers markets, its a shame they come to an end in autumn.. Here we have lots of farms which have their own shops on the farm… So we are lucky …
That sounds very special too. But like ours, your farms’ markets end after summer too.
We sometimes get special ones near Christmas as they hold a Christmas Fair market, which combined with craft stalls in really nice
This is so well done. You are making me mourn summer SO MUCH!!! I don’t want to say goodbye yet! #deeplydepressed 🙂
Cheer up; the season of joy is arriving (if you are a child).
What a wonderful way to say goodbye to summer. I sometimes envy you guys who experience more than two seasons, the things/activities associated with these seasons for which you have to be a part of.
Like every other market, do people outside Morristown also come to the market?
Yes, people from outside of Morristown do come here for our market, although other towns have their own Farmers’Markets. The interesting thing is that they tend to have different vendors selling their products. The next town, Madison, highlights a Popcorn maker who sells ” KETTLE CORN.” I never heard of that before; it is corn popped with both salt and sugar added. Not a healthy snack, but one I love!
Nice post….markets are more mundane in France…less of a celebration more of necessity…I still love them.
What is there about them that make them so special? I love them too.
What’s not to love about a good “farmers market”?
I recall those times as well, Ronnie. I do miss going to the farmer’s market in Central New York (and our own back yard when I was a teen) for fresh fruit and veggies. The end of summer is a sad one, for sure. But, here in Florida, we wait for October so that we can again buy fresh orange juice. The “stand” usually closes about May.
So you have known two climates, where people look forward to different times. I hope you’re enjoying your fresh orange juice this fall.
How sad to see it go. I always ask if the hens were happy this week. And don’t forget the wonderful baked goods. I just discovered the whole wheat raisin nut bread. Thanks for expressing the wistful feelings of all who looked forward to these special Sundays in Morristown. We’ll have to fight the crowds at the new ShopRite now.
…and they probably won’t even have a dog park!
This is beautiful. I’m so glad you thought to include the farewell to farmer’s markets as the real signal that summer’s over.
It’s a sure sign, when you pull up to the site of the market and all the color and crowds are gone.
How wonderful to have this near you. We have Farmer’s Markets around but none with such jubilee. I’m sure the musicians are a wonderful addition.
They give it such a festive air…
In our town we have an indoor Farmer’s Market in the winter…
How interesting; where does their produce come from?