Ledyard — For the first time in 14 years, the farmers market may not operate this summer unless organizers can find someone new to take the helm.

On Thursday Mark Fields announced his resignation from the position of market master after leading the market the past two years. At the same time, he also expressed the urgent need to find a replacement, as well as concern that in the absence of a new market master, the summer market would not occur this year.

Fields, a woodworker who is also a vendor at the market, said he felt the market has underperformed the last couple of years and would benefit from a new individual or group taking over. 

"I'm finding the market really requires more time than I was able to give for it to be a peak market," Fields said. "I hope someone else would have more time to put into it and bring it up to what it should be."

Created 14 years ago, the annual summer market generally runs June through mid-October at the Ledyard Fairgrounds and hosts upwards of 20 vendors a week. However, it has struggled the last few years with reduced foot traffic.

Fields, who took over during the 2016 season when the previous market master relocated, said with a town the size of Ledyard and the number and variety of vendors the farmers market offers, it should attract between 400 and 600 people every week. But last summer he estimates attendance was barely half of that.

Fields said that although he's not certain, there are a variety of reasons he sees for why the market has struggled, including the economy, locals being away during summertime and the oversaturation of farmers markets in the area. In fact, at a recent symposium in Hartford, Fields said he heard several market masters express concern over oversaturation.

But Fields also said that he believes fresh eyes would benefit the market, as well as expanding the responsibilities of the market master to multiple individuals. 

"It now needs to be more than a one-person job," he said. "A lot of other towns have four, five, six people who work hand-in-hand trying to put on a weekly market."

The market master is responsible for recruiting vendors and food trucks, compiling paperwork for the state Department of Agriculture, arranging a market venue and public communication, among other things, said Fields. And although there is some help, the effort would benefit from having a group of dedicated individuals to break up the work, he said.

Despite the challenging aspects of the work and the danger of not having a market this year, Fields seemed fairly encouraged by early responses to his to call to action. 

Since posting the news on the market's Facebook page and the Ledyard Community Forum, several people have expressed their desire to help. And Fields himself would help the new market master transition into the role.  

However, there still haven't been volunteers to claim the job.

Fields is also setting up a public meeting later this week to talk about the role and how people can get involved in other ways. More specifics on the time and location of that meeting will be posted on the group's Facebook page.

Regardless of who ends up as market master, Fields said that the market would just benefit from more people in town getting out for it, and that the market has a community benefit.

"So many people anymore don't really get out and spend time at the fence post like we used to," he said. "Having this weekly opportunity to get out and see their neighbors ... this is a chance to get out and have some face-to-face time with family and friends." 

c.clark@theday.com