When Megan Abbot and Gary Hall moved to Brentwood in 2020, the couple knew right away that a farmers market would do well in the area.
From the start, they had their eye on the parking lot outside the Bunker Hill fire station at 3716 Rhode Island Ave., on the border of Brentwood and Mount Rainier, but they had to wait until their two children were a little older to have the time to do the work.
“It’s a nights-and-weekends planning operation, filling the nooks and crannies of our time between our family and jobs,” they told the Hyattsville Wire. “But we would not say it’s finished yet.”
Hall, who works in ecological restoration, used to have a job at a non-profit that runs dozens of farmers markets across the greater D.C. area, helping manage market operations and working closely with farmers and other vendors. Abbot works as a civil rights lawyer.
The two planned for the farmers market to be kid-friendly, as they needed a place for their own two young kids to go outside on Saturdays.
“We want it to be a low-key place for kids to run around in the grass while families shop or get breakfast or lunch,” they said. “To that end, we have a number of picnic tables, and a kids’ corner featuring a mini-soccer set-up, sidewalk chalk, coloring books, and hula hoops. And it’s a total kid party! We love it.”
Now in its third week, this Saturday, May 18, the Gateway Farmers Market will host artist Bethany Lee, who will lead a stone carving workshop. It will also soon be able to process SNAP/EBT transactions and provide matching dollars from Maryland Market Money.
For the future, the couple said they would still like to find a dairy farm and added that there is always more space for pickles and pantry items. They are also looking for musicians, artists and community groups to participate.
The Gateway Farmers Market is open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays, rain or shine, through Nov. 30, then returning in the spring.
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