By Sean Sullivan

Strumming at the Common Street Spiritual Center early last month, a guitarist was singing his cover of “Up On A Roof.”

The classic song by “The Drifters” is an ode to the power of place and presence, and seemed well suited to its audience and the main attraction—Natick’s Farmers Market.

The weekly event has sheltered inside the center since the onset of winter, but will reemerge outdoors on the Natick Common early this month. Opening day is slated for Saturday, May 3rd.

When The Drifters in 1962 sang about their special place at the top of the stairs, it was in celebration of solitude. The town’s long-running Farmers Market in contrast, is a tribute to community.

The impulse to seek both (private and public life) may seem in tension, but in fact are often one side of the same coin. Like exercise and rest, each in its own way rejuvenates and depletes, necessitating the other.

For those seeking a respite from their alone time, the Farmers Market is just the thing. It’s a reliable occasion where locals can reconnect with neighbors, network and be among others.

Or, it could be also that attendees are just looking for some fresh carrots.

Over 60 food vendors are slated to sell at the market over the summer, said Deb Sayre. She’s the mastermind behind the market, which is now in its 26th year. Natick’s is one of the few that run year-round, she added. 

Sayre hosted the inaugural event decades ago, a community staple that’s since grown by leaps and bounds in size and popularity. That first farmer’s market a quarter century ago was a simple sidewalk show of local talent and goods.

It was held just outside the doors of Debsan paint company, long a neighborhood landmark. Sayre is the “Deb” in Debsan, some will know, whose father named the company after her and a sibling.

A roster of local crafters is also slated to share space those dozens of food vendors this summer. As the market’s grown so much, Sayre manages it with the help of a crew of volunteers.

As she sung the market’s praises, one of those volunteers checked in to make sure all was well.

“He makes the coffee,” she said, introducing him as Charlie, who she added is a local attorney. “Because I make mad coffee.”

Her crew of volunteers tends to be long-timers, said Sayre.

“They just stayed because they love the market.”

For sellers, proof of the market’s popularity can be found in the receipts. There’s often a line to check out at its vegetable vendors during sunny summer Saturdays.

“I would say that the majority of farms that come with us, stay.”

A stubborn chill was in the air one Saturday early last month, as several of those vendors sold from their spreads within the halls of the spiritual center overlooking Natick’s Common. A few degrees cooler, and the light drizzle outside might have turned to snow.

Yet a rainbow of locally-grown vegetables still spilled out from wooden crates, mostly of the rooted variety. Neighboring tables hosted an assortment of market mainstays that stamp the event with its character—snacks and candles (hand-crafted and poured) among them.    

A few feet away, a team of medical students from Regis College has set up a station, conducting health screenings for interested passersby. They could be seen squeezing the bulb of a blood-pressure gauge that tightened around a subject’s arm now and then.

“It’s a multipurpose event,” said Sayre. “It seems to be a community connector.”

In addition to genres, those community connections span generations. Even during winter, vendors are plentiful enough to spill over from the spiritual center’s street level, down into its basement.

“I’m delighted that every year we have more and more young people,” said Sayre.

Ten-year-old Olivia Raskin was among the many sellers on that Saturday. Her trade is “The Barking Bakery,” a small business she runs out of her house.

“I decided to start it because my dogs were always hungry,” she said. That prompted experimentation with different recipes, and the baked dog treats that ultimately resulted.

Raskin said she’d joined the market almost on whim, calling Sayre to see if there were any open spots.

“She said they had room for me today.”