The North End Farmers’ Market has a new manager and it comes in the form of a super packed punch of personality and a whole lot of heart. Shana Smith is on a mission to not only make her farmers’ market the best it has ever been, but to bring her community the love and resources it deserves. I sat down with her recently for a mind-blowing interview. Shana is a long time Hartford resident of the north end whose parents instilled in her accountability to the community and city

A self-described world traveler who has made a home in Hartford, Colin Murray is the newest manager of the Farmers’ Market at Billings Forge. A former Spanish teacher who decided to leave the world of teaching for the world of community empowerment, I was excited to get to know him better. Here is what I found out: Colin grew up in Connecticut and attended college in New Hampshire. And although Connecticut boasts a large Spanish population turns out Colin learned how to speak

Farmers’ Markets are something like a mixture of a grocery store, a carnival, a food truck festival, with a sprinkle of picnic. They are community events that turn empty green areas and parking lots into summer food carnivals. From the market managers, vendors, shoppers and the neighborhoods who host these love fests dedicated to food it not only takes a community to raise it, but to keep alive. Farmers’ Markets begin with farmers, chefs, and crafters. They work the lands, pe