May 4, 2019

Mallory Herrmann
citydesk@lstribune.net

The market stand at Unity Village will have its grand opening next weekend. The stand, run by the Gardens at Unity Village, is open to the public on Saturday mornings from May through October beginning May 11.

From 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. each week, visitors can find fresh produce like tomatoes, elderberries, pumpkins, squash and fruit, as well as jams, jellies and other sundry items. Volunteers will also be available to answer questions, offer recommendations on food preparation, and show off the property.

The barn is located on Colbern Road, about a mile and a half east of the Unity campus. It’s been there since the 1920s and has been an important part of the history there. With thousands of orchard trees, a dairy, a blacksmith and a saw mill, Unity Village was a completely self-sustaining agrarian community 75 years ago.

The Unity Farm closed in the 1980s, but in 2009 the gardens got a revival. The Gardens at Unity Village is an all-volunteer not-for-profit group dedicated to growing produce as naturally as possible. While they have made some investments in technology like a small tractor and a hoop house, the gardens rely on manual processes.

Still, they’re staying busy. Ten years after the roadside market stand was reopened, the Gardens at Unity Village now see more than 100 visitors each Saturday during the season. The volunteers expect it to be their best year yet.

They also host a variety of workshops and events. To learn more, visit www.gardensatunityvillage.org.