Please use the link below to suggest emergency relocation of our OG Farmers Market at June 11th Town Meeting.
This is my personal letter to our Selectman, that was sent today, based on new details which have emerged:
June 8, 2026
To the First Selectman and Members of the Board,
I am writing regarding the future of the Old Greenwich Farmers Market and the upcoming June 11 meeting.
First, I want to express my sincere appreciation to the organizers, volunteers, farmers, and town staff who have supported this market over the past 15 years. The Old Greenwich Farmers Market has become much more than a place to buy food. It has served as a community gathering space, an educational resource for families and children, and an important connection between residents and local Connecticut farms.
As new information has emerged, many residents are becoming increasingly concerned about the proposed relocation of the market.
We have recently learned that Riverbank Farm, whose organic produce has been a cornerstone of the market for many years, may be unable to participate at the proposed Riverside location due to scheduling constraints and a lack of staffing and volunteer support.
This development significantly changes the discussion because Riverbank Farm has been the primary source of certified organic produce at the market.
If Riverbank Farm is unable to attend, the proposed market would no longer provide the organic food options that many residents have come to rely upon and support. For many families, access to local organic produce is not a secondary issue—it is one of the primary reasons they attend the market.
The loss of the Old Greenwich location, combined with the potential loss of organic farm participation, would be deeply disappointing to many residents. After 15 years in the same location, the market has become part of the identity and culture of Old Greenwich. Many community members have described the prospect of losing it as a significant loss to the town's character and sense of community.
We respectfully ask the First Selectman and Board to help mediate this situation and explore emergency solutions that would allow the market to remain in Old Greenwich while preserving access to organic Connecticut-grown produce.
In particular, we ask that the Town consider:
- Exploring the Old Greenwich Civic Center as a potential market location, which many vendors and residents believe would be a strong alternative.
2. Explore the 2 vacant lots in OG West End and CVS extended lot that are always vacant— So vacant that OG school kids end up skateboarding there.
3. Working with organizers and farmers to identify scheduling options that may allow Riverbank Farm and other organic producers to participate.
4. Issuing an immediate call for additional organic farms from Connecticut to participate in the market. Connecticut is home to 50 organic farms, and we believe every effort should be made to recruit new organic vendors regardless of the final location.
5. Treating the preservation of organic food access as a priority when evaluating future market plans.
6. This is an opportunity for the Town to bring stakeholders together and find a solution that serves residents, farmers, and local businesses alike. We are not asking that one group's interests prevail over another's. Rather, we are asking for leadership, collaboration, and creative problem-solving so that Old Greenwich does not lose a community institution while also losing access to organic food.
Many families, volunteers, gardeners, and longtime residents have invested years of support into this market because they value healthy food, local agriculture, environmental stewardship, and community connection. We hope the Town will work with all parties involved to preserve those values.
Thank you for your consideration and for your service to the community. We respectfully ask that the Board and First Selectman help facilitate a solution that keeps the market accessible to Old Greenwich residents and ensures the continued presence of organic Connecticut farms.
Sincerely,
Colleen Proppé
Old Greenwich Resident
Organic Food Advocate
PS… it has come to my attention that some of you have submitted donations to this petition, which goes to change.org not to anyone local here. If you want to support our organic community and Connecticut organic farmers, please buy from them directly or reach out via the link and make sure our selectman know how important this issue is to you. Spending money on this petition is not going to help our community directly, so you do not need to donate any more money to change.org Speak out directly to our elected officials today. Invest in organic farming and children’s health.