The Haymarket Farmers Market
It’s 10:15 when I arrive at the Medford/Tufts MBTA stop, where my friend is already waiting on a bench. Together we head down the stairs, step onto the platform, and board the awaiting train. A few minutes later, the doors close with a chime, and the car lurches forward, beginning its trek toward Boston.
For the next twenty minutes, we chat, people-watch, and admire the scenery as the train glides over the Charles River. Soon we’re pulling into Haymarket Station. We disembark alongside a lively mix of fellow passengers – a group of teens in perfectly curated summer outfits, a young mom in running gear, and an elderly couple shuffling arm-in-arm. Up the escalator, through the shaded hall, and out into the sunlight, we squint at the scene ahead: white tents, bustling shoppers, and the familiar hum of the Haymarket Farmers Market.
Dating back to 1820, the Haymarket Farmers Market – formally the Haymarket Pushcart Association – is one of America’s oldest open-air markets. Known for some of the cheapest fresh produce in New England, the place hums with energy: footsteps shuffling across the pavement, clerks shouting “One dollar! One dollar!” above the crowd. Open every Friday and Saturday, year-round, from 4:00 a.m. until dusk, it’s a ritual stop for many Bostonians.
The market is composed of dozens of tents and produce stands. Some focus on fruit, others on vegetables, though most sell a colorful mix of both. Because many of the stands have the same offerings (excluding the one stand on the west end that sells freshly caught seafood), but with marginally different prices, one lap around the market often saves you a few dollars. With bell peppers four for $1, watermelons for $4, and two avocados for $1.50, the deals are hard to beat. Still, no one wants to buy mangoes at $1 apiece only to find them half-price two stalls down.
A weekly visit to Haymarket is not only a budget-friendly way to stock up on staples but also an invitation to try something new, as you can use your grocery store savings to grab new experimental ingredients. My own summer experiments – roasted Brussels sprouts, zucchini brownies, and peach crumble – were all inspired by impulse buys at the market.
After a couple of laps and arms full of produce, my friend and I sling our bags over our shoulders and head back to Tufts. As the train pulls into Medford station, we’re still trading recipe ideas, excited to see what we can create with both the essentials we came for and the surprises we couldn’t resist.