To all of our loyal customers and vendors, welcome back for the Tenth Season of the Bridgeport Farmers Market. As I sit here and look at the word "tenth" I am filled with a mix of pride and shock. Back in July of 2009 I would have never dreamed that we would still be here doing everything we do week-in and week-out. Honestly, it never even entered my mind. All I wanted to do that morning was get rid of a hang-over and get that last damn tent set up so I could run to Sheetz for aspirin and coffee. No, we didn't even have a coffee vendor back then!

 

But what we did have was a bunch of folks that had a vision and were committed to seeing it thru and then sitting back and letting it become what it would become. And I think it's safe to say it become something greater than any one of those folks could have imagined while hauling tents, tables, signs, and squash-car racing tracks to and from the home-ec room of Bridgeport High School.

 

Throughout the course of this season we will be presenting the insights of several of those folks, some who are still involved with the Market and some who have moved on to other things. Today I am happy to present the perspective of one Tim Brady, who at that time was the Executive Director of the Greater Bridgeport Convention and Visitors Bureau and is now VP of Sales for the Charleston CVB. Tim was the first city "official" to see the value of what these folks were trying to do. Interspersed with Tim's post are quotes from our co-founder, Anne Hart, owner of Provence Market in Bridgeport. I thank both of them for taking the time to provide their thoughts.

 

All of the pictures you see here were taken during that first season in front of BHS by Michael Brown of Provence Market.

 

In this space next week you will find the first post by our new Let's Get Fresh editor, Heidi Nawrocki, and our official photographer, Daniel Raines. If you've been following us for the past couple of seasons you will recognize Heidi as our recurring guest blogger. This year she has agreed to step up and take over for me full-time. And I will become the "recurring guest blogger". Thanks, Heidi! I also want to thank all the folks at Connect-Bridgeportfor giving us our original home and continuing to post our blogs even after we started our own site. And thanks to all of you for reading.

 

Take it away, Tim!

 

To see Tim and Anne’s story please click here to go to the Let’s Get Fresh BFM website.

 

Editor’s Note: Co-Founder Deb Workman, Co-Founder Anne Hart, Then-Mayor Jim Christie, The Queen of the Benedum Festival, Original Board Member Bobby Samples, and then-Market Vice-President Tim Brady at the Opening Day Ribbon Cutting in July, 2009.