Country Store Contributor: Greg Agnew, Sr.
By: Elizabeth Hetzler
Some people are dreamers, and some people are “doers.” Greg Agnew is both. Not only did he have a dream, but he took that dream and made it happen. Because of him, and, he would tell you, his extended farm family, Dedham has a year-round farmer’s market and CSA that offer not only fruits and vegetables but homemade soaps, jams and jellies, honey and salsas, breads, milk and eggs, books, jewelry, and pottery. Because of this self-described homesteader, we, the patrons of the Dedham Square Country Store, have access to the freshest local ingredients and products. The story of the Dedham Square Country Store, from its beginnings as a dream between father and son, to today, as it begins its third year, is one of hard work and passion.
Greg began his life on a dairy farm in Hermann, Missouri, about 100 miles southwest of St. Louis. His father, the farmer, supplemented his income by working for McDonnell Douglas, the aircraft builder, as a sheet metal worker. In a sense, he has “gone back to his roots,” by building up LemonThyme Farm. An advocate for sustainable organic farming, Greg bemoans the “bigger is better” model of today’s supermarkets. The model of the smaller organic farm is one that fosters agricultural diversity. The larger so-called factory farm is one that promotes monoculture, a model that is not renewable because of the chemicals that are needed to build up spent soil; the use of genetically modified seed to prevent disease and boost yield further compromises the farming. Local products, such as those available at the DSCS have traveled 25 miles or less to reach consumers, whereas supermarket goods have often traveled an average of 1500 miles from their sources. Greg’s mission is to support local businesses while growing and producing his own organic products.
Lemon Thyme Farm’s history is a surprisingly short one. For those of us who frequent the store, it is difficult to imagine a morning without LemonThyme honey in our tea and jam on our toast or a peanut butter sandwich made of anything other than LemonThyme honey roasted peanut butter. In reality, the farm has only been around since it was started on family-owned land in 2004-2005. It was during that time that Greg and his partner decided to become self-sufficient homesteaders, living on their land and growing their own food. As happens in many vegetable patches, they were soon overwhelmed with too much produce and began a roadside stand. Unfortunately, the rural nature of the area did not afford them many customers and “there was a lot of spoilage.” So, the farmers turned to fruit, cultivating strawberries and blueberries alongside the wild raspberries, blackberries and concord grapes that grew on the land. And Greg started to make jam. The youngest of seven children, Greg had observed his mother, a child of the depression, can “everything,” and he began to follow in her footsteps by producing artisan jams, jellies and pie fillings. Next he brought in bees for pollination, and he began to harvest honey.
Four years ago, LemonThyme Farm began to sell its wares at local farmers’ markets, and as they sold more, they grew more. Greg and his extended farm family brought goats to the farm with the expectation of producing goat cheese. When licensing for this venture became extremely complicated they decided to make soap, and LemonThyme’s wonderful goat’s milk soap made its debut. The farm grew, and Greg and his son began to talk about expanding. Greg Jr had been working as LemonThyme’s Market & Farm Operations Manager, and he and his father began discussing the possibility of opening a year-round farmer’s market. They chose Dedham because of their roots in the community. Greg Sr is a full-time employee of the Schortmann Insurance Agency in Dedham Square, and for many years, while his son was growing up, he was a Scoutmaster in Islington, MA (Westwood). Greg Jr also has had a deep involvement in Dedham through his various jobs at Dedham Television, Schortmann Insurance, Paul McMurtry’s Campaign, and most recently his work as both Paul Reynolds’ and Phil Dunkelbarger’s Campaign Manager.
And so we in Dedham have had the wonderful luck to see our Sundays transformed into local market days. Greg Sr talks about how “passionate” he is about connecting with the community and how grateful he is for all of the patronage from Dedham and the surrounding towns. He cites “tremendous support” from his customers as a driving force behind his business. Despite the volumes of paperwork that come with the store and the CSA, he is thrilled to have created a partnership with local farmers and to have built his business up to the point where he has become part of a farmers’ cooperative. One might argue that we, his customers, are the fortunate ones. Greg, together with his son Greg Jr., has followed his passion and created a gem in the heart of Dedham Square, and we are grateful.
A typical day in Greg’s Life:
4:30 Wake up
5- 5:45 check on the animals (chickens, ducks, goats), checking the irrigation for the hoop houses
6:00 Get ready for work
6:30 Leave for work
7:15 – 4:30 Work at Schortmann Insurance Agency in Dedham
5:00 Home
5:00 – 7:30 Attend to animals (muck stalls – dirty hay into compost), gather eggs (50-60 laying chickens), pick
8:00 Bed (read homesteading magazines to learn growing techniques, etc.)
Some people are dreamers, and some people are “doers.” Greg Agnew is both. Not only did he have a dream, but he took that dream and made it happen. Because of him, and, he would tell you, his extended farm family, Dedham has a year-round farmer’s market and CSA that offer not only fruits and vegetables but homemade soaps, jams and jellies, honey and salsas, breads, milk and eggs, books, jewelry, and pottery. Because of this self-described homesteader, we, the patrons of the Dedham Square Country Store, have access to the freshest local ingredients and products. The story of the Dedham Square Country Store, from its beginnings as a dream between father and son, to today, as it begins its third year, is one of hard work and passion.
Greg began his life on a dairy farm in Hermann, Missouri, about 100 miles southwest of St. Louis. His father, the farmer, supplemented his income by working for McDonnell Douglas, the aircraft builder, as a sheet metal worker. In a sense, he has “gone back to his roots,” by building up LemonThyme Farm. An advocate for sustainable organic farming, Greg bemoans the “bigger is better” model of today’s supermarkets. The model of the smaller organic farm is one that fosters agricultural diversity. The larger so-called factory farm is one that promotes monoculture, a model that is not renewable because of the chemicals that are needed to build up spent soil; the use of genetically modified seed to prevent disease and boost yield further compromises the farming. Local products, such as those available at the DSCS have traveled 25 miles or less to reach consumers, whereas supermarket goods have often traveled an average of 1500 miles from their sources. Greg’s mission is to support local businesses while growing and producing his own organic products.
Lemon Thyme Farm’s history is a surprisingly short one. For those of us who frequent the store, it is difficult to imagine a morning without LemonThyme honey in our tea and jam on our toast or a peanut butter sandwich made of anything other than LemonThyme honey roasted peanut butter. In reality, the farm has only been around since it was started on family-owned land in 2004-2005. It was during that time that Greg and his partner decided to become self-sufficient homesteaders, living on their land and growing their own food. As happens in many vegetable patches, they were soon overwhelmed with too much produce and began a roadside stand. Unfortunately, the rural nature of the area did not afford them many customers and “there was a lot of spoilage.” So, the farmers turned to fruit, cultivating strawberries and blueberries alongside the wild raspberries, blackberries and concord grapes that grew on the land. And Greg started to make jam. The youngest of seven children, Greg had observed his mother, a child of the depression, can “everything,” and he began to follow in her footsteps by producing artisan jams, jellies and pie fillings. Next he brought in bees for pollination, and he began to harvest honey.
Four years ago, LemonThyme Farm began to sell its wares at local farmers’ markets, and as they sold more, they grew more. Greg and his extended farm family brought goats to the farm with the expectation of producing goat cheese. When licensing for this venture became extremely complicated they decided to make soap, and LemonThyme’s wonderful goat’s milk soap made its debut. The farm grew, and Greg and his son began to talk about expanding. Greg Jr had been working as LemonThyme’s Market & Farm Operations Manager, and he and his father began discussing the possibility of opening a year-round farmer’s market. They chose Dedham because of their roots in the community. Greg Sr is a full-time employee of the Schortmann Insurance Agency in Dedham Square, and for many years, while his son was growing up, he was a Scoutmaster in Islington, MA (Westwood). Greg Jr also has had a deep involvement in Dedham through his various jobs at Dedham Television, Schortmann Insurance, Paul McMurtry’s Campaign, and most recently his work as both Paul Reynolds’ and Phil Dunkelbarger’s Campaign Manager.
And so we in Dedham have had the wonderful luck to see our Sundays transformed into local market days. Greg Sr talks about how “passionate” he is about connecting with the community and how grateful he is for all of the patronage from Dedham and the surrounding towns. He cites “tremendous support” from his customers as a driving force behind his business. Despite the volumes of paperwork that come with the store and the CSA, he is thrilled to have created a partnership with local farmers and to have built his business up to the point where he has become part of a farmers’ cooperative. One might argue that we, his customers, are the fortunate ones. Greg, together with his son Greg Jr., has followed his passion and created a gem in the heart of Dedham Square, and we are grateful.
A typical day in Greg’s Life:
4:30 Wake up
5- 5:45 check on the animals (chickens, ducks, goats), checking the irrigation for the hoop houses
6:00 Get ready for work
6:30 Leave for work
7:15 – 4:30 Work at Schortmann Insurance Agency in Dedham
5:00 Home
5:00 – 7:30 Attend to animals (muck stalls – dirty hay into compost), gather eggs (50-60 laying chickens), pick
8:00 Bed (read homesteading magazines to learn growing techniques, etc.)
Country Store Contributor: Joe Smith
By: Elizabeth Hetzler
Joe Smith has a been a regular member of the DSCS community since its inception. A nephew of Lemon Thyme’s soap and candle maker, Deborah, Joe was hired early on for his strong work ethic. An unassuming and pleasant young man, he has been working in produce and farming for the last 10 of his 28 years. At the Store he can be seen scurrying between the fruits and vegetables and the back storeroom; it is his job to make sure that all of the produce is organized and well stocked and that everything flows smoothly when the waves of CSA members and other customers come in on Sundays.
As the youngest of four brothers, Joe has lived in Rockland his whole life. He comes to his job as a full-time farm hand at LemonThyme Farm after having worked as an assistant produce manager at Johnny’s Foodmaster and as a Produce Manager at the former Hilltop Steakhouse in Braintree. As part of his work on the farm Joe cleans hay, fixes fences and looks after the animals. In the wintertime he comes to Dedham on Wednesdays to organize and check the inventory at the Sore. In the summertime he peddles LemonThyme products at farmers’ markets in the region.
When asked about his interests, Joe is quick to declare himself an animal lover. He has a hamster, a tortoise, and two dogs, Tabitha the shih-tzu, and Freddy, the poodle. He describes his grandmother’s over six-acre farm in Abington where Greg Agnew keeps the many chickens that produce 55+ dozen eggs for our Sunday market. He also talks about his interest in computers; he enjoys video games, but, because computers are one of his favorite hobbies, he also likes to “figure things out.” Joe, who does not have a driver’s license, and is a big walker. He gets to know communities through his “walk-throughs,” commenting that everyone in his town knows him because he spends so much time on foot.
Joe is not a big cook, but he is very fond of the vegetables that he sells. His favorite is eggplant. He is also “a big salad person” who enjoys seafood (especially shrimp) and burgers and Greg Sr.’s horseradish sauce. Most of all, he is a “locavore” who shares techniques for storing root crops and talks about the winter growing season on the farm. Storage potatoes will keep for 6 months if kept dark and cool in potato sack bags that wick any moisture that forms. Butternut squash can be “tricked” into thinking that it is still growing; its stem should be kept long so that it can be cut every two to three weeks. Stored in milk crates, air can circulate around it, but no pressure or weight should be put on the squash. He is proud to discuss the farm’s winter crops, from the signature salad greens to the hothouse tomatoes to the cucumbers that grow down from the greenhouse ceiling.
Joe is a committed believer in the Dedham Square Country Store, and he goes “out of his way to help keep it running.” He is proud to contribute to the Dedham community and to do his part to help people eat more healthfully while supporting small local businesses. When you go to the market this Sunday, give him a nod and thank him for his involvement in our store. He’ll give you a big smile.
Joe Smith has a been a regular member of the DSCS community since its inception. A nephew of Lemon Thyme’s soap and candle maker, Deborah, Joe was hired early on for his strong work ethic. An unassuming and pleasant young man, he has been working in produce and farming for the last 10 of his 28 years. At the Store he can be seen scurrying between the fruits and vegetables and the back storeroom; it is his job to make sure that all of the produce is organized and well stocked and that everything flows smoothly when the waves of CSA members and other customers come in on Sundays.
As the youngest of four brothers, Joe has lived in Rockland his whole life. He comes to his job as a full-time farm hand at LemonThyme Farm after having worked as an assistant produce manager at Johnny’s Foodmaster and as a Produce Manager at the former Hilltop Steakhouse in Braintree. As part of his work on the farm Joe cleans hay, fixes fences and looks after the animals. In the wintertime he comes to Dedham on Wednesdays to organize and check the inventory at the Sore. In the summertime he peddles LemonThyme products at farmers’ markets in the region.
When asked about his interests, Joe is quick to declare himself an animal lover. He has a hamster, a tortoise, and two dogs, Tabitha the shih-tzu, and Freddy, the poodle. He describes his grandmother’s over six-acre farm in Abington where Greg Agnew keeps the many chickens that produce 55+ dozen eggs for our Sunday market. He also talks about his interest in computers; he enjoys video games, but, because computers are one of his favorite hobbies, he also likes to “figure things out.” Joe, who does not have a driver’s license, and is a big walker. He gets to know communities through his “walk-throughs,” commenting that everyone in his town knows him because he spends so much time on foot.
Joe is not a big cook, but he is very fond of the vegetables that he sells. His favorite is eggplant. He is also “a big salad person” who enjoys seafood (especially shrimp) and burgers and Greg Sr.’s horseradish sauce. Most of all, he is a “locavore” who shares techniques for storing root crops and talks about the winter growing season on the farm. Storage potatoes will keep for 6 months if kept dark and cool in potato sack bags that wick any moisture that forms. Butternut squash can be “tricked” into thinking that it is still growing; its stem should be kept long so that it can be cut every two to three weeks. Stored in milk crates, air can circulate around it, but no pressure or weight should be put on the squash. He is proud to discuss the farm’s winter crops, from the signature salad greens to the hothouse tomatoes to the cucumbers that grow down from the greenhouse ceiling.
Joe is a committed believer in the Dedham Square Country Store, and he goes “out of his way to help keep it running.” He is proud to contribute to the Dedham community and to do his part to help people eat more healthfully while supporting small local businesses. When you go to the market this Sunday, give him a nod and thank him for his involvement in our store. He’ll give you a big smile.
Country Store Contributor: Emma Porter
By: Elizabeth Hetzler
Upon entering the store you will often be greeted by a friendly girl who has bite sized goodies to offer you. This is Emma Porter, who moved to Dedham when she was 2. Emma plays soccer, field hockey, lacrosse and piano, and in her spare time she likes to hang out with her friends and walk around Dedham Square or Legacy Place. She is also a seamstress. Having learned to sew from her grandmother when she was 6, Emma has recently started to make bags and headbands. Emma likes to read; Harry Potter and The Help are some of her favorite books. A seventh grader at Dedham Middle School, she is committed to community service, having volunteered during the summer at the Dedham Farmer’s Market and at the main branch of the library. Her commitment to service is what brought her to volunteer at the Dedham Square Country Store.
Emma and her family are vegetarians, so fresh local produce is especially important to them. They make delicious soups, salads and pastas with all of the great vegetables from their CSA. Emma likes to bake cookies; her favorites, peanut butter chocolate chip, are a great complement to all of those healthy vegetables. A fan of the Lemon Thyme honey peanut butter and raspberry jam, Emma has complimentary words for all things Dedham Square Country Store: the people, the products, the setting. So, on Sunday, when Emma greets you, ask her about her Labradoodle, Lola, and snag a tasty treat from her table. It might be eggnog or cheese and crackers or a little jam on a piece of fruit. Whatever it is, it’s always good, and she is always friendly.
Upon entering the store you will often be greeted by a friendly girl who has bite sized goodies to offer you. This is Emma Porter, who moved to Dedham when she was 2. Emma plays soccer, field hockey, lacrosse and piano, and in her spare time she likes to hang out with her friends and walk around Dedham Square or Legacy Place. She is also a seamstress. Having learned to sew from her grandmother when she was 6, Emma has recently started to make bags and headbands. Emma likes to read; Harry Potter and The Help are some of her favorite books. A seventh grader at Dedham Middle School, she is committed to community service, having volunteered during the summer at the Dedham Farmer’s Market and at the main branch of the library. Her commitment to service is what brought her to volunteer at the Dedham Square Country Store.
Emma and her family are vegetarians, so fresh local produce is especially important to them. They make delicious soups, salads and pastas with all of the great vegetables from their CSA. Emma likes to bake cookies; her favorites, peanut butter chocolate chip, are a great complement to all of those healthy vegetables. A fan of the Lemon Thyme honey peanut butter and raspberry jam, Emma has complimentary words for all things Dedham Square Country Store: the people, the products, the setting. So, on Sunday, when Emma greets you, ask her about her Labradoodle, Lola, and snag a tasty treat from her table. It might be eggnog or cheese and crackers or a little jam on a piece of fruit. Whatever it is, it’s always good, and she is always friendly.
Country Store Contributor: Sonia Dunkelbarger
By: Elizabeth Hetzler
It’s not surprising that the wonders of the DSCS have spread across town borders and beckoned yet another talented Westwood resident with its charms. Meet Sonia Dunkelbarger, the friendly cashier. She moved to Westwood from Beverly Farms when she was 5, returning to her mother’s home town, close to her grandparents. The youngest of three children, Sonia is a 16-year-old junior at Westwood High School. An athlete and a musician, she rows at Community Rowing in Brighton, swims on her high school team and plays the piano at the New England Conservatory, where she takes classes on Saturdays. Her swimming season has recently ended, and, now that she is not in the pool preparing for under-200 events, she is hoping she will have time to return to another passion, horseback riding at Morlinn Farm in Westwood. Sonia is one busy girl, and we are lucky to be graced with her sunny presence at the store on Sunday mornings.
Sonia came to the market through her connection to Greg Jr., who is a friend of her father’s. She loves working in the store, seeing it as “different” from other stores. “Everyone knows her name,” she has “good bosses” and the customers are “nice.” Ask Sonia about her favorite DSCS product; her family buys eggs every week, she says, but her favorite? The heath bar ice cream! She is a big fan of the store’s ice cream selections; so, if you have a hankering for some rich icy confections this holiday season, ask Sonia to help you. You can never go wrong with delicious locally-made ice cream, and with Sonia’s help, you will choose just the right flavor for your own discerning palate!
It’s not surprising that the wonders of the DSCS have spread across town borders and beckoned yet another talented Westwood resident with its charms. Meet Sonia Dunkelbarger, the friendly cashier. She moved to Westwood from Beverly Farms when she was 5, returning to her mother’s home town, close to her grandparents. The youngest of three children, Sonia is a 16-year-old junior at Westwood High School. An athlete and a musician, she rows at Community Rowing in Brighton, swims on her high school team and plays the piano at the New England Conservatory, where she takes classes on Saturdays. Her swimming season has recently ended, and, now that she is not in the pool preparing for under-200 events, she is hoping she will have time to return to another passion, horseback riding at Morlinn Farm in Westwood. Sonia is one busy girl, and we are lucky to be graced with her sunny presence at the store on Sunday mornings.
Sonia came to the market through her connection to Greg Jr., who is a friend of her father’s. She loves working in the store, seeing it as “different” from other stores. “Everyone knows her name,” she has “good bosses” and the customers are “nice.” Ask Sonia about her favorite DSCS product; her family buys eggs every week, she says, but her favorite? The heath bar ice cream! She is a big fan of the store’s ice cream selections; so, if you have a hankering for some rich icy confections this holiday season, ask Sonia to help you. You can never go wrong with delicious locally-made ice cream, and with Sonia’s help, you will choose just the right flavor for your own discerning palate!
Country Store Contributor: Albert Wisialko
By: Elizabeth Hetzler
You may have noticed a new face in produce during the last few months. Al Wisialko has been helping out with the CSA, stocking and selling fruit and vegetables this fall. A lifelong resident of Westwood, Al is a senior accounting major at Stonehill College in Easton. This Westwood High School graduate was a boy scout in his younger years, and Greg Sr. was his Scoutmaster until he was 15. He is an Eagle Scout who earned his badge through his involvement in the “Drains to Stream, Keep It Clean” project. He stenciled those words on storm drains around Westwood, doing his part to protect our local ecosystem.
Most people would think that college, boy scouts – especially with the demands of becoming an Eagle Scout – and the Sunday market would give Al a full plate, but he finds time in his busy schedule for his own business and for an unusual hobby. He does landscaping in the summer and snowplowing on weekends, and last summer, fulfilling a dream, he bought his first race car. Yes, he drives race cars! As a younger child, Al used to watch a client of his father’s, a driver, race, and he was bitten by the racing bug. He has driven at the NH Motor Speedway and at Beechridge Speedway in Scarborough, ME, but next season, which starts on April 1, he will be driving his own car. Perhaps his two younger brothers Joe (20) and Nick (17) will be cheering him on.
Al enjoys working at the Sunday market. He has known the Agnew family for a good part of his life, and he thinks the DSCS is a “great thing that both Gregs are doing.” He is “glad to help them – and local farmers.” A self-professed non-cook, Al really likes the apples. Say hi to him when you pick up your share and ask him about his driving!
You may have noticed a new face in produce during the last few months. Al Wisialko has been helping out with the CSA, stocking and selling fruit and vegetables this fall. A lifelong resident of Westwood, Al is a senior accounting major at Stonehill College in Easton. This Westwood High School graduate was a boy scout in his younger years, and Greg Sr. was his Scoutmaster until he was 15. He is an Eagle Scout who earned his badge through his involvement in the “Drains to Stream, Keep It Clean” project. He stenciled those words on storm drains around Westwood, doing his part to protect our local ecosystem.
Most people would think that college, boy scouts – especially with the demands of becoming an Eagle Scout – and the Sunday market would give Al a full plate, but he finds time in his busy schedule for his own business and for an unusual hobby. He does landscaping in the summer and snowplowing on weekends, and last summer, fulfilling a dream, he bought his first race car. Yes, he drives race cars! As a younger child, Al used to watch a client of his father’s, a driver, race, and he was bitten by the racing bug. He has driven at the NH Motor Speedway and at Beechridge Speedway in Scarborough, ME, but next season, which starts on April 1, he will be driving his own car. Perhaps his two younger brothers Joe (20) and Nick (17) will be cheering him on.
Al enjoys working at the Sunday market. He has known the Agnew family for a good part of his life, and he thinks the DSCS is a “great thing that both Gregs are doing.” He is “glad to help them – and local farmers.” A self-professed non-cook, Al really likes the apples. Say hi to him when you pick up your share and ask him about his driving!
Country Store Contributor: Ann K. Brea
By: Elizabeth Hetzler
When you come in to the Dedham Square Country Store this Sunday, look for Ann K. Brea’s beautiful jewelry. Her “organic designs” are tucked into a case at the rear of the store, and, if you come in early, you may just be lucky enough to meet Ann. A regular vendor at the DSCS, Ann is a lifelong crafter of beautiful silver jewelry, and her work is one of a kind. As a jewelry artist, she makes earrings, necklaces, bracelets and charms out of seeds and pods that she dips in silver. One peek at the jewelry case in the store will tell you how charming and unique her work is.
Ann, a current Dedham resident, was born in Ames, Iowa and lived all over the northeast
as a child. While in high school in Rhode Island, she was able to take classes at the Rhode Island
School of Design. Her art career continued in college at The School for American Crafts at the
Rochester Institute of Technology, from which she earned a B.F.A. in metal crafts. A job with a
family publishing business, based in the old Ames Schoolhouse, brought her to Dedham, where
she focused on mathematics texts for secondary and collegiate-level students. Today she works
as a computer consultant, building websites and managing IT departments for small businesses.
She enjoys the challenges that a business brings, but her true interest is her metal craft. Her
jewelry designs have evolved from her love of nature; often her seeds and pods have stories
behind them from gardens she has enjoyed and hikes she has taken. Her love of the outdoors also
brought her to the Dedham Square Country Store.
As an avid hiker and camper, Ann used to shop at EMS in Dedham, where she was a
customer of Greg Agnew’s. When the Country Store opened he brought Ann in as the “resident
jeweler.” Although she sells her jewelry on the Cape and in other locations around the Boston
area, our little country store is special to her. She feels that people, whether they be vendors or
customers, gain an important connection to the local community and their neighbors here. As she
says, it is “almost like going back in time,” and it is “reminiscent of the farming communities
where my parents grew up, where people gathered at the village store to get news and had time
to catch up with the community” goings-on.
She is passionate about supporting local businesses, preferring to connect with the actual people who are producing the goods and services. At the DSCS she loves picking out the vegetables that she will use to make her soups and stir fries, and she also likes the peach jam as well as all the low-sugar varieties that Lemon Thyme farm offers.
Ann’s creations make great gifts. Her love for her work, her interest in nature and her
talent as an artist all come through in her one-of-a-kind jewelry. Go talk to her this Sunday; you
may walk away with a new trinket, knowing that you have done your part to support a talented
local artist. Or just browse, ask her about her great danes, Fidel and Alie, go home and check out
your holiday gift list, and come back another Sunday. Her timeless collection will be waiting,
nestled in its spot on the glass shelves.
When you come in to the Dedham Square Country Store this Sunday, look for Ann K. Brea’s beautiful jewelry. Her “organic designs” are tucked into a case at the rear of the store, and, if you come in early, you may just be lucky enough to meet Ann. A regular vendor at the DSCS, Ann is a lifelong crafter of beautiful silver jewelry, and her work is one of a kind. As a jewelry artist, she makes earrings, necklaces, bracelets and charms out of seeds and pods that she dips in silver. One peek at the jewelry case in the store will tell you how charming and unique her work is.
Ann, a current Dedham resident, was born in Ames, Iowa and lived all over the northeast
as a child. While in high school in Rhode Island, she was able to take classes at the Rhode Island
School of Design. Her art career continued in college at The School for American Crafts at the
Rochester Institute of Technology, from which she earned a B.F.A. in metal crafts. A job with a
family publishing business, based in the old Ames Schoolhouse, brought her to Dedham, where
she focused on mathematics texts for secondary and collegiate-level students. Today she works
as a computer consultant, building websites and managing IT departments for small businesses.
She enjoys the challenges that a business brings, but her true interest is her metal craft. Her
jewelry designs have evolved from her love of nature; often her seeds and pods have stories
behind them from gardens she has enjoyed and hikes she has taken. Her love of the outdoors also
brought her to the Dedham Square Country Store.
As an avid hiker and camper, Ann used to shop at EMS in Dedham, where she was a
customer of Greg Agnew’s. When the Country Store opened he brought Ann in as the “resident
jeweler.” Although she sells her jewelry on the Cape and in other locations around the Boston
area, our little country store is special to her. She feels that people, whether they be vendors or
customers, gain an important connection to the local community and their neighbors here. As she
says, it is “almost like going back in time,” and it is “reminiscent of the farming communities
where my parents grew up, where people gathered at the village store to get news and had time
to catch up with the community” goings-on.
She is passionate about supporting local businesses, preferring to connect with the actual people who are producing the goods and services. At the DSCS she loves picking out the vegetables that she will use to make her soups and stir fries, and she also likes the peach jam as well as all the low-sugar varieties that Lemon Thyme farm offers.
Ann’s creations make great gifts. Her love for her work, her interest in nature and her
talent as an artist all come through in her one-of-a-kind jewelry. Go talk to her this Sunday; you
may walk away with a new trinket, knowing that you have done your part to support a talented
local artist. Or just browse, ask her about her great danes, Fidel and Alie, go home and check out
your holiday gift list, and come back another Sunday. Her timeless collection will be waiting,
nestled in its spot on the glass shelves.
Country Store Contributor: Rebecca Rubin
By Elizabeth Hetzler
When you walk into the Dedham Square Country store on a bustling Sunday morning,
make sure to make your way back to the bakery section because there you will find the
wonderful baked goods of Becka’s Gourmet Bakery. Whether you need a quick sugar fix
to satisfy your nagging sweet tooth or a delicious homemade dessert for a family gathering,
Rebecca Rubin has the goods for you. A cook and baker for over 50 years, Rebecca, who has
had a home-based business since 2002, loves what she does. She loves making people happy,
especially when she can provide homemade goodies for those with special dietary needs. As the
single mother of 22-year-old identical twins, this self-taught cook has spent many years baking
with special dietary needs in mind. On request, she will bake products for any combination of
dietary restrictions or preferences; in fact, she takes special orders at the store and through her
email address: BeckasGourmet@verizon.net.
But who is this kind woman who has become such an integral part of our Sundays at the
Market? And how did she end up in our small corner of Dedham? A native of New Bedford,
Rebecca has an impressive resume: a B.F.A. in music from Ithaca College, an M.S. in
Occupational Therapy from Columbia, and a J.D. from the University of Maryland. She has
worked as an attorney and at Mass General in the day surgery unit and in one of the research
labs. Although she enjoyed these jobs, baking is her passion, and she decided to open her
business because it gave her flexibility. She notes that her sons “have never had store-bought
baked goods, at least not at home. ” Lucky boys!!
One of the first things that Rebecca did when she started her business was to offer free
food to the staff at her sons’ school; she also brought baked goods for a lecture attended by about
100 people at the Sharon Adult Center and was there to answer questions. Both settings gave her
the opportunity to share her wares and to receive valuable feedback that she then used to build
her business. She says she used to make elaborate cakes for children’s birthdays (with
Tinkerbelle, Pooh and Tigger for instance), but they were very time consuming, and she much
prefers the variety of cookies, coffee cakes, pies and other sweets that she now offers. She does
not have any favorites, nor does she sell the same items every week, but her one consistent seller,
that people come back for every week, is the English muffins. Talk about nooks and crannies!!
They are delicious, especially when paired with Kate’s unsalted butter and one of Lemon
Thyme’s homemade jams.
Rebecca’s DSCS connection, which began one year ago, was somewhat serendipitous.
On the prowl for a spot at a seasonal farmer’s market, she met Greg, Sr. at the Dedham Square
Farmer’s Market. She enjoys the DSCS customers, finding them to be friendly and appreciative,
and her involvement at the Country Store has “inspired her to be more local when she shops.”
Her favorite DSCS vegetable is kale and she describes delicious ways to use it: Szechuan-style
kale with tofu and kale with beans and garlic. Stop by her booth on Sunday; she will give you a
mouth-watering description of her healthy one-pot meals.
When not researching and trying out new recipes, Rebecca plays principal flute in the
Sharon Community Chamber Orchestra and enjoys painting, crafts and gardening. This Sunday
go over and say hi; ask her about her baking. She’ll give you a sample, and you just might leave
with a little something to make your Sunday afternoon a bit sweeter.
When you walk into the Dedham Square Country store on a bustling Sunday morning,
make sure to make your way back to the bakery section because there you will find the
wonderful baked goods of Becka’s Gourmet Bakery. Whether you need a quick sugar fix
to satisfy your nagging sweet tooth or a delicious homemade dessert for a family gathering,
Rebecca Rubin has the goods for you. A cook and baker for over 50 years, Rebecca, who has
had a home-based business since 2002, loves what she does. She loves making people happy,
especially when she can provide homemade goodies for those with special dietary needs. As the
single mother of 22-year-old identical twins, this self-taught cook has spent many years baking
with special dietary needs in mind. On request, she will bake products for any combination of
dietary restrictions or preferences; in fact, she takes special orders at the store and through her
email address: BeckasGourmet@verizon.net.
But who is this kind woman who has become such an integral part of our Sundays at the
Market? And how did she end up in our small corner of Dedham? A native of New Bedford,
Rebecca has an impressive resume: a B.F.A. in music from Ithaca College, an M.S. in
Occupational Therapy from Columbia, and a J.D. from the University of Maryland. She has
worked as an attorney and at Mass General in the day surgery unit and in one of the research
labs. Although she enjoyed these jobs, baking is her passion, and she decided to open her
business because it gave her flexibility. She notes that her sons “have never had store-bought
baked goods, at least not at home. ” Lucky boys!!
One of the first things that Rebecca did when she started her business was to offer free
food to the staff at her sons’ school; she also brought baked goods for a lecture attended by about
100 people at the Sharon Adult Center and was there to answer questions. Both settings gave her
the opportunity to share her wares and to receive valuable feedback that she then used to build
her business. She says she used to make elaborate cakes for children’s birthdays (with
Tinkerbelle, Pooh and Tigger for instance), but they were very time consuming, and she much
prefers the variety of cookies, coffee cakes, pies and other sweets that she now offers. She does
not have any favorites, nor does she sell the same items every week, but her one consistent seller,
that people come back for every week, is the English muffins. Talk about nooks and crannies!!
They are delicious, especially when paired with Kate’s unsalted butter and one of Lemon
Thyme’s homemade jams.
Rebecca’s DSCS connection, which began one year ago, was somewhat serendipitous.
On the prowl for a spot at a seasonal farmer’s market, she met Greg, Sr. at the Dedham Square
Farmer’s Market. She enjoys the DSCS customers, finding them to be friendly and appreciative,
and her involvement at the Country Store has “inspired her to be more local when she shops.”
Her favorite DSCS vegetable is kale and she describes delicious ways to use it: Szechuan-style
kale with tofu and kale with beans and garlic. Stop by her booth on Sunday; she will give you a
mouth-watering description of her healthy one-pot meals.
When not researching and trying out new recipes, Rebecca plays principal flute in the
Sharon Community Chamber Orchestra and enjoys painting, crafts and gardening. This Sunday
go over and say hi; ask her about her baking. She’ll give you a sample, and you just might leave
with a little something to make your Sunday afternoon a bit sweeter.
Country Store Contributor: Elias ("Lou") Matta
By Elizabeth Hetzler
If you frequent the Dedham Square Country Store you can’t help but notice the “bread man,” Lou. A gentle kind man, who loves animals, he leaves his house in Hyde Park at 7:15 on Sunday mornings to make his bread runs to Clear Flour Bakery in Brookline and Fornax Bakery in Roslindale. He then travels to Dedham to set up the shelves so that all is ready for the first wave of customers at 10:00 a.m. How he got to Dedham Square from his birthplace in Lebanon is a fascinating story.
When Lou was young, not even a teenager, his older sister traveled to the United States to visit relatives. On an extended visit, with the intention of returning home to Lebanon, she met and fell in love with her future husband. Because she is his only sibling and he did not want to live halfway across the world from her, Lou immigrated to the United States as well, 41 years ago. His first US home was in Brockton. Not even out of his teens, Lou looked for work that would tap into his interest in making things with his hands. A woodcrafter in Lebanon – he once made a wooden replica of the Eiffel Tower – Lou couldn’t find the special tools in the US that he had worked with at home, but he was able to translate his love of carpentry into a useful hobby. In his spare time he likes to “fool around” with tools and do projects at his house.
Lou’s work ties in well with his interest in tools; he enjoys his job as a machinist. As he tells it, he was in the right place at the right time, and in 1984 he was offered a great opportunity to work as a profile grinder. He had always wanted to work with machinery. Today he is employed as a machine operator with secondary machinery. He finishes the processing and grinding of replacement parts for industrial machinery.
But how did a machinist end up at a country store/farmer’s market? Part of the story has to do with his daughter and part has to do with his commitment to good locally grown food. As Lou tells it, one of his daughters was at the Dedham Square Farmer’s Market one day, and she and Greg Agnew, Sr. started talking. Greg asked her if she wanted to help him out at the new country store. Unable to commit, she offered her father Lou’s assistance, and the rest is history. Lou has been at the market as an employee and as a CSA member ever since. When asked about his favorite DSCS items, he says there are many, from the jams to the breads (French is his current favorite) to Rebecca’s pies. His wife of 31 years, Marie, loves Rebecca’s hermit cookies. Lou doesn’t really cook, but he says his wife is a wonderful cook. Together they have three children, two daughters who both work at the state house (one of whom is a professional singer) and a son who is in the Army, currently stationed in California after a tour in Iraq and one in Afghanistan. Most recently the Matta family roasted many of their CSA vegetables and served them with Roast Beef, a family favorite.
If you frequent the Dedham Square Country Store you can’t help but notice the “bread man,” Lou. A gentle kind man, who loves animals, he leaves his house in Hyde Park at 7:15 on Sunday mornings to make his bread runs to Clear Flour Bakery in Brookline and Fornax Bakery in Roslindale. He then travels to Dedham to set up the shelves so that all is ready for the first wave of customers at 10:00 a.m. How he got to Dedham Square from his birthplace in Lebanon is a fascinating story.
When Lou was young, not even a teenager, his older sister traveled to the United States to visit relatives. On an extended visit, with the intention of returning home to Lebanon, she met and fell in love with her future husband. Because she is his only sibling and he did not want to live halfway across the world from her, Lou immigrated to the United States as well, 41 years ago. His first US home was in Brockton. Not even out of his teens, Lou looked for work that would tap into his interest in making things with his hands. A woodcrafter in Lebanon – he once made a wooden replica of the Eiffel Tower – Lou couldn’t find the special tools in the US that he had worked with at home, but he was able to translate his love of carpentry into a useful hobby. In his spare time he likes to “fool around” with tools and do projects at his house.
Lou’s work ties in well with his interest in tools; he enjoys his job as a machinist. As he tells it, he was in the right place at the right time, and in 1984 he was offered a great opportunity to work as a profile grinder. He had always wanted to work with machinery. Today he is employed as a machine operator with secondary machinery. He finishes the processing and grinding of replacement parts for industrial machinery.
But how did a machinist end up at a country store/farmer’s market? Part of the story has to do with his daughter and part has to do with his commitment to good locally grown food. As Lou tells it, one of his daughters was at the Dedham Square Farmer’s Market one day, and she and Greg Agnew, Sr. started talking. Greg asked her if she wanted to help him out at the new country store. Unable to commit, she offered her father Lou’s assistance, and the rest is history. Lou has been at the market as an employee and as a CSA member ever since. When asked about his favorite DSCS items, he says there are many, from the jams to the breads (French is his current favorite) to Rebecca’s pies. His wife of 31 years, Marie, loves Rebecca’s hermit cookies. Lou doesn’t really cook, but he says his wife is a wonderful cook. Together they have three children, two daughters who both work at the state house (one of whom is a professional singer) and a son who is in the Army, currently stationed in California after a tour in Iraq and one in Afghanistan. Most recently the Matta family roasted many of their CSA vegetables and served them with Roast Beef, a family favorite.
Country Store Contributor: Greg Agnew, Jr.
By Elizabeth Hetzler
As anyone who spends time with Greg would tell you, he is one busy person. A 2009 graduate of Assumption College, where he majored in Political Science, Greg has thrown his hat into many rings. He ran for town selectman in Westwood, his hometown and current residence, as a college student, perhaps one of the youngest candidates for that position in recent history. He ran Philip Dunkelbarger’s Congressional campaign in 2009 and Paul Reynold’s successful campaign for Dedham selectman in 2010. He started the Dedham Square Country Store in 2010 and also has a full-time job with Channel 8. As his website notes, Greg extends himself in many local causes. He is generous and charitable with his time, in his words sometimes “overextended,” and we all benefit from his jocular demeanor. A cheerful face on a sleepy Sunday morning, Greg is always ready with a joke and a laugh.
In his free time, of which there isn’t much, Greg enjoys all kinds of music, especially classic rock and country. He is a fan of the classic comedy that is found in Chevy Chase, Will Ferrell and Dan Ackroyd movies; particular favorites are “Christmas Vacation” and “Stepbrothers.” Another favorite movie is “The Rock” with Sean Connery and Nicholas Cage. Greg is an avid coin collector who has a collection of foreign, confederate and classic coins and currency. He also collects books by local authors, such as Steve Greffenious. who writes about Jeffersonian thought and politics, and he enjoys Bill Bryson’s books and non fiction about independent political thought.
As the Proprietor of the Dedham Square Country Store, Greg sells many different kinds of food but his favorite DSCS items are the frozen pastas and meals. He says he has just started to enjoy cooking, and with the pastas he can make fast wholesome meals that suit his lifestyle. He is looking forward to making apple crisps and pies and homemade collard green soup in his down time. Pub food – “good” fries, nachos, and pizzas – are his favorite foods, and he has been experimenting with making his own pizzas and salsas, using DSCS produce of course! His interest in food spills over into his choice of TV shows. Food competition shows such as “Man vs. Food,” “No Reservations,” and “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives” are his favorites. Perhaps one day we will see this budding foodie in one of these competitions! In the meantime, as witnessed by the crowds on a Sunday morning, Dedham is proud to call him her own and to patronize his wonderful store.
As anyone who spends time with Greg would tell you, he is one busy person. A 2009 graduate of Assumption College, where he majored in Political Science, Greg has thrown his hat into many rings. He ran for town selectman in Westwood, his hometown and current residence, as a college student, perhaps one of the youngest candidates for that position in recent history. He ran Philip Dunkelbarger’s Congressional campaign in 2009 and Paul Reynold’s successful campaign for Dedham selectman in 2010. He started the Dedham Square Country Store in 2010 and also has a full-time job with Channel 8. As his website notes, Greg extends himself in many local causes. He is generous and charitable with his time, in his words sometimes “overextended,” and we all benefit from his jocular demeanor. A cheerful face on a sleepy Sunday morning, Greg is always ready with a joke and a laugh.
In his free time, of which there isn’t much, Greg enjoys all kinds of music, especially classic rock and country. He is a fan of the classic comedy that is found in Chevy Chase, Will Ferrell and Dan Ackroyd movies; particular favorites are “Christmas Vacation” and “Stepbrothers.” Another favorite movie is “The Rock” with Sean Connery and Nicholas Cage. Greg is an avid coin collector who has a collection of foreign, confederate and classic coins and currency. He also collects books by local authors, such as Steve Greffenious. who writes about Jeffersonian thought and politics, and he enjoys Bill Bryson’s books and non fiction about independent political thought.
As the Proprietor of the Dedham Square Country Store, Greg sells many different kinds of food but his favorite DSCS items are the frozen pastas and meals. He says he has just started to enjoy cooking, and with the pastas he can make fast wholesome meals that suit his lifestyle. He is looking forward to making apple crisps and pies and homemade collard green soup in his down time. Pub food – “good” fries, nachos, and pizzas – are his favorite foods, and he has been experimenting with making his own pizzas and salsas, using DSCS produce of course! His interest in food spills over into his choice of TV shows. Food competition shows such as “Man vs. Food,” “No Reservations,” and “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives” are his favorites. Perhaps one day we will see this budding foodie in one of these competitions! In the meantime, as witnessed by the crowds on a Sunday morning, Dedham is proud to call him her own and to patronize his wonderful store.
Dedham Square Country Store holds second annual Pie Contest
DEDHAM — Competition was stiff at the Dedham Square Country Store’s second Annual Pie Baking Contest.
“They’re all delicious and I would not discriminate against a pie,” Greg Agnew, Jr., proprietor of the store said at the start of the judging on Sunday, Oct. 9.
His words, however, did not stop judge and Selectman Paul Reynolds and later his co-judge Eileen Kelly of Sheepskate from determining which pie deserved the title in the three categories: Best Crust, Best Filling, and Best Overall.
The winner of each category received a prize for their efforts, ranging from a $25 gift certificate to the Dedham Square Country Store or Maribu to tickets to the Boston Bruins Legends vs. Dedham Firefighters hockey game. Each of the contestants gave it their all, including returning champion Eileen Hickey of Dedham.
“Pie is like religion in my family,” Hickey said, “My mother is anxiously waiting to hear the results, but there are a lot of interesting entries.”
Hickey’s New England apple pie competed against five other pies at the Dedham Square Country Store, ranging from classically delicious to unique and tasty.
Maureen Cogliandro contributed a coconut cream pie to the contest and 9-year-old Abby Cogliandro’s chocolate cream pie took home the prize for Best Filling.
“There was no rule against making a savory pie,” Mara Gordon said with a laugh as she presented her Buttercup Pie.
All of the pies were required to have an all-natural and organic filling, but Gordon’s pie took the requirement one step further, creating a unique dish that was both gluten free and vegan. Gordon’s pie also sparked the idea to add a savory pie category at next year’s competition.
Rounding out the final two contestants were 12-year-old Emma Porter and her Old Fashioned Apple Pie which took home the prize for Best Crust and Shummy’s Spicy Blueberry, made by Georgia, Ben, and Alex Shumway, which won Best Overall.
“They were all fabulous,” Reynolds said after a tough period of deliberation, adding that along with a savory pie category that the contest would have to include a best design and people’s choice category as well. Slices of the pies were handed out to spectators at no charge, so next year Reynolds hopes to turn this tradition into another opportunity for a prize.
Three-year-old Eli Gorden particularly enjoyed the filling of the chocolate cream pie, during which he was asked “What’s the secret ingredient in your pie?”
“Love,” he responded, and everyone nodded in agreement.
For more information on the Dedham Square Country Store located at 626 High St., visit www.dedhamsquarecountrystore.com.
“They’re all delicious and I would not discriminate against a pie,” Greg Agnew, Jr., proprietor of the store said at the start of the judging on Sunday, Oct. 9.
His words, however, did not stop judge and Selectman Paul Reynolds and later his co-judge Eileen Kelly of Sheepskate from determining which pie deserved the title in the three categories: Best Crust, Best Filling, and Best Overall.
The winner of each category received a prize for their efforts, ranging from a $25 gift certificate to the Dedham Square Country Store or Maribu to tickets to the Boston Bruins Legends vs. Dedham Firefighters hockey game. Each of the contestants gave it their all, including returning champion Eileen Hickey of Dedham.
“Pie is like religion in my family,” Hickey said, “My mother is anxiously waiting to hear the results, but there are a lot of interesting entries.”
Hickey’s New England apple pie competed against five other pies at the Dedham Square Country Store, ranging from classically delicious to unique and tasty.
Maureen Cogliandro contributed a coconut cream pie to the contest and 9-year-old Abby Cogliandro’s chocolate cream pie took home the prize for Best Filling.
“There was no rule against making a savory pie,” Mara Gordon said with a laugh as she presented her Buttercup Pie.
All of the pies were required to have an all-natural and organic filling, but Gordon’s pie took the requirement one step further, creating a unique dish that was both gluten free and vegan. Gordon’s pie also sparked the idea to add a savory pie category at next year’s competition.
Rounding out the final two contestants were 12-year-old Emma Porter and her Old Fashioned Apple Pie which took home the prize for Best Crust and Shummy’s Spicy Blueberry, made by Georgia, Ben, and Alex Shumway, which won Best Overall.
“They were all fabulous,” Reynolds said after a tough period of deliberation, adding that along with a savory pie category that the contest would have to include a best design and people’s choice category as well. Slices of the pies were handed out to spectators at no charge, so next year Reynolds hopes to turn this tradition into another opportunity for a prize.
Three-year-old Eli Gorden particularly enjoyed the filling of the chocolate cream pie, during which he was asked “What’s the secret ingredient in your pie?”
“Love,” he responded, and everyone nodded in agreement.
For more information on the Dedham Square Country Store located at 626 High St., visit www.dedhamsquarecountrystore.com.
Market Growth - Q&A with Proprietor Greg Agnew, Jr.
On weekdays it looks like a homey, Americana shop with rows of jams and empty baskets just waiting for baked goods. Then Sunday rolls around and the Dedham Square Country Store is packed with shoppers, warm bread, fresh seafood, cheese and conversation. The 23-year-old proprietor, Greg Agnew, said there were times he never thought it would make it through the first year. Luckily it did and on Sunday, Feb. 6 at 10 a.m. the High Street shop will be open for its anniversary party. Agnew recently talked to the Dedham Transcript about the first year in Dedham Square and his future plans.
Q: The Dedham Square Country Store is marking its year anniversary, did you think you would make to this point? A: I honestly thought at some points during the last year that we would have never made it to year one. The store is a constant work-in-progress, with so many hours each week put into planning and implementation of new products, store design, and functionality. There were some moments over the past year where I would sit at my desk and wonder if we could survive another week with the budget we had, or the products we were going to offer the following Sunday at the market. I still wonder how we made it this far, but it’s important to remember that we continue to need the communities unwavering support if we’re going to succeed and make it to year two. We have a phenomenal following in the town of Dedham, and our customers are the reason we’ve been in business this long.
Q: What motivated you to even open this market and to keep it going? A: My father (Greg Agnew, Sr.) scheduled an appointment to look at the open space at 626 High St. back in October of 2009, thinking we’d never be able to afford it. We were hoping to get just a simple winter farmer’s market-style business up and running to support the following of the summer farmer’s market, co-created by our friend Adina Astor. As we moved farther along through November, and into the months leading up to now, we realized the town needed more than a farmer’s market-style outfit, they needed organic, fresh, all-natural produce and other products year round. They needed a place that they could shop, knowing where the ingredients came from, and knowing it was truly all locally-produced. The landlords (The Odd Fellows), my father, and I all worked out a plan that would allow us to survive, and we’re grateful to Odd Fellows and the community for this wonderful opportunity. My motivation in keeping the market open was knowing that I was filling a need for local, organic, all-natural and fresh products, in a world that offers mostly processed, pesticide-laden foods.
Q: What is your five-year plan for the store? A: I have my dreams as to where I might be in five years. I definitely still want to be in business, I want to be open at least five days a week, and I want to expand our customer base deeper into the surrounding communities (especially my hometown of Westwood), so that we can educate more people about the advantages of eating and living healthy. As for the rest of my dreams, you’ll just have to periodically drop by and see.
Q: What has been a highlight over the past year? A: The highlight for me has been spending more time with my dad, and learning how to be in the retail business (something he’s done his whole life). I’m a very firm believer that formal education can only take you so far, and its limited in what it can teach you. My dad says that if you want to learn, (and be successful), you have to be willing to bust your hump, open your ears, and get your hands dirty. Without my dad around, there would be no country store.
Q: Who was the best customer? A: It’s hard to judge who our best customer really is, since we have so many weekly regulars. I’m not going to name names, but I’d like to thank everyone who regularly comes in, and relies upon us to fulfill their grocery needs each Sunday.
Q: What was your strangest moment? A: Our strangest moment occurs every week, when someone, who I seem to never notice, leaves an empty egg carton in our fridge. (We have a program that rewards you $0.25 off your next egg purchase if you bring back the carton. Everyone but one person gives the cartons to me each week).
Q: What can shoppers expect in year two? A: In year two, shoppers can expect a lot of surprises, just like they’ve observed on a high frequency throughout 2010. I hope to install a coffee and lose leaf tea bar, all-natural smoothies, and an overall robust and full product selection. Our intent is not to encroach on anyone else’s retail turf, and to honor the commitment we’ve made to our customers to open more hours as time goes on.
Q: The Dedham Square Country Store is marking its year anniversary, did you think you would make to this point? A: I honestly thought at some points during the last year that we would have never made it to year one. The store is a constant work-in-progress, with so many hours each week put into planning and implementation of new products, store design, and functionality. There were some moments over the past year where I would sit at my desk and wonder if we could survive another week with the budget we had, or the products we were going to offer the following Sunday at the market. I still wonder how we made it this far, but it’s important to remember that we continue to need the communities unwavering support if we’re going to succeed and make it to year two. We have a phenomenal following in the town of Dedham, and our customers are the reason we’ve been in business this long.
Q: What motivated you to even open this market and to keep it going? A: My father (Greg Agnew, Sr.) scheduled an appointment to look at the open space at 626 High St. back in October of 2009, thinking we’d never be able to afford it. We were hoping to get just a simple winter farmer’s market-style business up and running to support the following of the summer farmer’s market, co-created by our friend Adina Astor. As we moved farther along through November, and into the months leading up to now, we realized the town needed more than a farmer’s market-style outfit, they needed organic, fresh, all-natural produce and other products year round. They needed a place that they could shop, knowing where the ingredients came from, and knowing it was truly all locally-produced. The landlords (The Odd Fellows), my father, and I all worked out a plan that would allow us to survive, and we’re grateful to Odd Fellows and the community for this wonderful opportunity. My motivation in keeping the market open was knowing that I was filling a need for local, organic, all-natural and fresh products, in a world that offers mostly processed, pesticide-laden foods.
Q: What is your five-year plan for the store? A: I have my dreams as to where I might be in five years. I definitely still want to be in business, I want to be open at least five days a week, and I want to expand our customer base deeper into the surrounding communities (especially my hometown of Westwood), so that we can educate more people about the advantages of eating and living healthy. As for the rest of my dreams, you’ll just have to periodically drop by and see.
Q: What has been a highlight over the past year? A: The highlight for me has been spending more time with my dad, and learning how to be in the retail business (something he’s done his whole life). I’m a very firm believer that formal education can only take you so far, and its limited in what it can teach you. My dad says that if you want to learn, (and be successful), you have to be willing to bust your hump, open your ears, and get your hands dirty. Without my dad around, there would be no country store.
Q: Who was the best customer? A: It’s hard to judge who our best customer really is, since we have so many weekly regulars. I’m not going to name names, but I’d like to thank everyone who regularly comes in, and relies upon us to fulfill their grocery needs each Sunday.
Q: What was your strangest moment? A: Our strangest moment occurs every week, when someone, who I seem to never notice, leaves an empty egg carton in our fridge. (We have a program that rewards you $0.25 off your next egg purchase if you bring back the carton. Everyone but one person gives the cartons to me each week).
Q: What can shoppers expect in year two? A: In year two, shoppers can expect a lot of surprises, just like they’ve observed on a high frequency throughout 2010. I hope to install a coffee and lose leaf tea bar, all-natural smoothies, and an overall robust and full product selection. Our intent is not to encroach on anyone else’s retail turf, and to honor the commitment we’ve made to our customers to open more hours as time goes on.
Check out where we've been mentioned:
- "Dedham's All-America Send-Off" - June 14, 2011
- "Q&A with Dedham Square Country Store's Greg Agnew" - February 4, 2011
- Local Goodness, Dedham - January 6, 2011
- Featured on Jen Barsamian's "Dedham Rocks" Blog - January 6, 2011
- "Dedham Square Country Store features sweets, treats and meats" - Daily News Transcript on March 13, 2010
- "Let them eat...Pie!" - Boston.com on August 2, 2010
- The DSCS Featured on the Dedham Square Circle Website
- Featured on the Westwood Blog in Westwood, MA
- "Fresh food at new market year round" - Boston.com on February 5, 2010
- Featured on Kerry Hawkins' Photography Website
