After nearly being discontinued this year, the Rindge Farmers’ Market opened this Saturday, on a new day, and with new organizers at the helm.

Michael LiPetri, one of the new co-coordinators of the market, said he and his girlfriend, Marina Kaluzny, saw the announcement on the Rindge community Facebook page by former organizers John McCracken and Kim McCummings that they would not be organizing the market this year. He said when he saw the article in the Ledger-Transcript announcing the same, with McCracken quoted as saying he’d be willing to help anyone who wanted to take up the reigns, the pair decided they wanted the mantle.

“Marina and I attend many different farmers’ markets around the state, like Peterborough and Jaffrey and Keene, and we had also attended the Rindge Market on Thursdays, and we were sad to see it go away,” LiPetri said. “We connected with the previous coordinators, John and Kim, who were nice enough to offer materials and resources they used, and we took on the administrative duties of keeping the market alive.”

LiPetri said that Rindge, like many towns, has a lot of backyard growers, roadside egg-sellers, homesteaders and crafters.

“We really wanted to have a place where people could take their farmside stands and make a name for themselves, and give some visibility to what they’re doing at home. We wanted to help support that,” LiPetri said.

Krysta Donahue of Rindge, who was one of the vendors for the opening day on Saturday, was selling the microgreen varieties she produces, under the name Tiny Roots Microgreens. This will be her first year at the market, as she recently moved to the area. And while she said she also participates in the Peterborough market, she was happy to hear that her hometown market would be continuing.

“It’s great, and having farm-fresh, locally grown food is great for our community. And to encourage people to grow their own food and to bring it to markets and sell it to your community is huge. We need to be able to bring this farm to table back again,” Donahue said.

Aime Dorrington was selling homemade popcorn, as a fundraiser for the charity Greyhound Options, an organization that helps to find homes for retired racing greyhounds. She said that this will be the first time she’s tried a market for selling her popcorn, and echoed Donahue’s sentiments about having a hometown option.

“You get to know the people you live with, see what they to offer and give it a try,” Dorrington said.

LiPetri said there are some changes made this year, to hopefully attract more vendors, one of the reasons that McCracken and McCummings ultimately stepped down. One of those changes is switching the market day from Thursday afternoons to Saturday mornings. The location will remain the same, on Route 202 at the West Rindge Common Park. ATA Construction, located next to the market, has agreed to allow the use of their parking lot for vendors and customers, and a cash donation by local realtor Lauren Valentine has allowed LiPetri and Kaluzny to offer no vendor fees for the first year.

LiPetri said he’d like to invite even more vendors, and have the option for live music during future markets. The market is adjacent to a playground, and has lawn games available for children, and is kid and dog friendly. For more information about becoming a vendor, contact LiPetri and Kaluzny at info@rindgefarmersmarket.com or 603-593-8977.