I recently applied to participate in the Brunswick winter farmers market. To my surprise, I was denied entry — not because my farm products failed to meet any quality standards, but because decisions were made based on personal popularity rather than agricultural contribution. A bakery was selected over a working farm, and it became clear that farmers were not being prioritized at a farmers market.

This isn’t just disappointing on a personal level — it raises important questions about what our community values. Across the country, small farms are disappearing at alarming rates. According to USDA data, nearly half of all beginning farms don’t survive past their fifth year. The suicide rate among farmers is estimated to be 3.5 times that of the general population. Farming is not a hobby; it is one of the most difficult, necessary and often overlooked professions we have.

I didn’t enter farming for prestige or popularity. I did it to grow food responsibly, care for the land and be part of a grassroots change toward healthier, more resilient communities. But when farmers are shut out of farmers markets in favor of popularity contests, it sends a discouraging message: that friendship ties matter more than the work of those growing our food.

If we want to preserve family farms, protect farmland and ensure the next generation has access to real, local food, we need to make sure farmers markets put farmers first. Otherwise, we risk turning them into little more than weekend social clubs, while those of us in the fields and barns continue to struggle unseen.

Amie Flesh
Brickhouse Farm
Buckfield