By Zack Lamothe.

The Brockton Farmers Market is one of the premier farmers markets in Southeastern Massachusetts. It features a wide variety of vendors from farmers, to artisans, to community groups, and even a hot dog cart! Today we were able to catch up with the manager of the Brockton Farmers Market, Jon Van Kuiken. Jon previews what to expect at this summer’s market, shares a bit about his backstory, and explains why you must visit.

Hailing originally from Grand Rapids, Michigan, Jon’s landing in Brockton took a circuitous route. After stops in Chicago and an eventual job loss by both him and his husband a week apart in 2007, the East came calling as his husband got a job in the Boston area. As a kid in Grand Rapids, Jon visited farmers’ markets with his family. Jon also holds an associate’s degree in culinary arts and worked in the food service business for ten years but never had a direct association with farmer markets until one fateful day in 2015.

Jon’s husband is the city’s planning and economic development director. Brockton historically had a farmers’ market, but it was put on hiatus in 2014. With a grant in 2015, the farmers market on City Hall Plaza began, but with no one at the helm. Jon laughs, “The night before the first market, my husband looked at me and told me I’m running the market tomorrow.” And thus Jon became the Brockton Farmers Market manager, a position he has held for nine seasons.

From the first season in 2015, the market has grown larger. Beginning in 2017, the state-implemented Healthy Initiatives Program (HIP) helped the market grow tremendously. Through this program, if a customer spends a dollar on fresh produce using SNAP, the dollar will be reimbursed back onto the EBT card. This initiative gives an incentive for customers to eat fresh and healthy foods. Either the vendors themselves accept EBT or if they do not directly, the market itself does, making the whole experience EBT friendly.

At this year’s farmers market expect five area farms, a beekeeper, a garden center, artisans, and local nonprofits, such as the UMASS Extension Nutrition Education Program, the Stroke Awareness Project, and other services, such as blood pressure and sugar monitoring, and vaccine clinic run by the Brockton Board of Health.

Speaking of giving back to the community, for much of Jon’s tenure as the manager, he has been a volunteer. His role in the community fulfills something inside him as he calls simply, “Gratifying.” It is truly gratifying “to see people who aren’t able to afford fresh produce but who can here.” And when asked why you should visit the Brockton Farmers Market this summer, Jon offers, “to get the best fruits and vegetables, the best honey in the South Shore, to buy excellent soap, and to even have a hot dog for lunch.”

This summer, make sure you visit the Brockton Farmers Market for a wide variety of in-season produce and so much more. This year the market runs from June 7 to October 25 and is held on Fridays from 10 AM to 2 PM. It is located on the south side of City Hall Plaza off of VFW Parkway. For more information visit www.brocktonfarmersmarket.com

This profile is sponsored by The Brockton Farmers’ Market and made possible through a grant from Massachusetts Agriculture.