New Malvern Farmers Market Begins in Spring 2013

Malvern Borough will have a new, weekly farmers market in Burke Park starting Saturday, May 4, 2013. 

The Malvern Farmers Market will be held Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Burke Park. It will feature about 25 farmers and food artisans in its first year, some of whom will appear on a rotating basis. 

"It will start as a producers-only market," co-manager Lisa O'Neill said. "There will definitely be a meat vendor in there, farm fresh eggs, local cheeses, local bakeries."

Keep up on breaking news by followingMalvern Patch on Facebook.

What about cupcakes, dog treats and other less typical items for sale?

"The, what I call, value-added products will be there, but we'll introduce them to the market after we get a solid farmers market up and going," she said.

O'Neill, who currently runs the East Goshen Farmers Market with co-manager Donna Levitski, presented the plan for a Malvern market at the Sept. 18 Borough Council meeting. She credits Borough manager Sandy Kelley with helping her see the potential in Malvern.

The news about the new farmers market comes on the heels of anannouncement that Kimberton Whole Foods will open an organic food store on East King Street in 2013. O'Neill said the market and the organic grocer can "complement each other nicely."

In an email, O'Neill said the market will boost the local economy:

Malvern is the perfect community for a farmers market - a walking town, with plenty of parking on a weekend morning, and just the perfect distance from existing Saturday markets. We think this will benefit the entire Malvern community - every Saturday shoppers will head to Malvern for the market - while they're in Malvern they can visit with all of the other Malvern merchants - giving local businesses a big weekend boost - everybody wins.

Many farmers markets have popped up in and around Malvern in recent years, but few have demonstrated staying power. The fate of the East Goshen Farmers Market for 2013 is in the hands of township officials, and two other nearby farmers markets—Great Valley and Rushton Farm—did not return in 2012.

See also:

Video: Flash Mob Dances to 'Thriller' at Farmers Market Thursday (Sept. 8)

East Goshen Farmers Market Returns Thursday (May 3, 2012)

Great Valley Farmers Market Won't Return in 2012 (Dec. 23, 2011)