Kids’ Day at the Southie Farmers Market

from 07_27_2023

Curley Center’s L Street Beach Opened

by Rick Winterson

Our Farmers Market has become a South Boston tradition by now. It completed two full decades of service to the South Boston neighborhood last year in 2022; it’ll celebrate 25 years of service to us in 2027. These days, the South Boston Farmers Market is sponsored by the South Boston Neighborhood Development Corporation after being managed by Community Health Center for its first 13 years.

Frequently, the Farmers Market sponsors a special “Day”. Youthful activities and goodies were on offer from noontime until 3:30 in the afternoon. Early on, about thirty young folks from St. Peter Academy on Fourth Street showed up to take part in a “Recovery Relay” that involved a race collecting articles of trash and depositing them in a wastebasket at the finish line. The St. Peter kids, in their yellow school T-shirts, really enjoyed themselves – they were certainly a sight to see.

Around 1 p.m., a Boston Police truck labelled “Operation Hoodsie” showed up. A group of students from the SBCA (the South Boston Catholic Academy) had shown up at the Farmers Market as well. A smiling Boston Police Officer Tim Wilson then gave away Hoodsies to everyone who wanted one (and going back for seconds was encouraged). Dani, the Children’s Librarian from the South Boston Branch Library, set up a table next to the Farmers Market and talked about good summer reading to the young people at Kids’ Day.

As usual, the 2023 South Boston

Farmers Market operates every Monday from the Spring through the month of October. This year, it’s opening at 11 a.m. and closes at 5 p.m. Riverdale Farm is our South Boston farm vendor, bringing fresh, Massachusetts-grown produce from their multi-purpose farm in Groton in their own truck. They use their own stand, set up conveniently on West Broadway on the Perkins Square sidewalk between the parking lot and the #9 bus stop – and it’s shady! Riverdale’s versatile 200-acre farm features hothouses that allow produce to be brought to market earlier than usual in the summer. Butter-andsugar corn with fully ripe kernels was an early special offering this recent Monday. The two Riverdale employees at the Farmers Market on Monday are coincidentally each named Sean – one of the Seans manages the counters of produce, the other Sean handles the checkout – in cash, on credit cards, or by accepting EBT food stamps.

Interestingly, several young graduates of the “Youth Ambassadors Program”, which is overseen by Linda Doran at the Health Center, are now employed by Donna Brown, Executive Director of the South Boston Neighborhood Development Corporation. They provide much of the necessary support for the Farmers Market each week. Courtney Mulligan, along with Jake, Vi, and Ibe, were on hand last Monday. Samantha Mackie, a Marketing Associate at the newly opened head office of the City of Boston

Credit Union, staffed a table at last Monday’s Farmers Market as well. You’re encouraged to visit the Farmers Market next Monday on your own. Yes, the main purpose for going there is to purchase fresh produce, of course. But please take your time while you are there. Greet your friends. Talk with anyone attending to a table; speak to the marketeers from Riverdale Farm – they themselves love their work. Note the many, many T-shirts that are imprinted with anything from Taylor Swift to “Urban Explorers Summer Program” to Veterans for Peace. The South Boston Farmers Market is an opportunity to enjoy shopping in a quiet, take-your-time way.

Continued from Page 1 Sailing

“It’s an amazing activity to do in the summer,” said Wil Hingston, assistant director. “It just kind of allows you to experience the ocean in a new way.”

The Sailing Center, located on Castle Island, is open to kids ages 8-15. The summer program runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday through Aug. 31. Parents can sign up their kids at any point during the summer, said Wil, a senior at Merrimack College majoring in health science with an eye toward a nursing degree.

Wil and director Michaela Bavis grew up in the program. And so did all the staff.

“I started off as a sailor at the age of 9,” Wil said. “I’m 21 and I’m still here. It just has a hold on you.”

This is Michaela’s first year as director. “But I was here when I was younger,” she said. “And I live in Southie, born and raised, so I know a good majority of all the kids.”

In addition to sailing, kids learn responsibility, teamwork, organization, and how to help others, Wil said.

“It gives them all accountability and teaches them life lessons,” Michaela said, noting they also gain confidence and experience camaraderie. “The kids are really good.”

The kids agree that learning to sail is really fun. And parents love the program’s flexibility. They can drop off their kids at any time and pick them up at any time between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., said Michaela, 33, who works with special needs kids at the Tynan during the school year.

Michaela said it’s so important for kids to have a place to go, and the fact that this program is free is an amazing bonus. “You want your kids to have a great experience,” she said. “It’s a good foundation for a community. It’s nice to be able to have a place to feel confident and have a good summer. And parents don’t have to worry.”

The program has about 500 signups but no more than 80 kids usually show up on any given day, Wil said. There are 23 staff members, all lifeguardcertified, and they teach the kids how to sail and keep an eagle eye on the water.

Lessons include how to tie nautical knots, how to rig the boat, the actual sailing, and how to de-rig, roll up the sails, and clean up properly.

Once the kids are comfortable in the boat, the young sailors can take a test to get a license to sail solo in the program. “It just gives them a little bit of freedom and a little bit of confidence,” said Wil, whose duties include social media for the center. It also allows them to take more of a leadership role in the program and help others learn how to sail. “Compared to all the other summer camps that are in the Boston area, I feel like it’s the most unique and has a lot more to offer.”