BEVERLY — Estelle Rand sews her own clothes, and this year she set out to try to sell them at the Beverly Farmers Market.

"Initially, I wanted to have a table at the market," she said. "And I was told there's not going to be a market."

It's usually run by The Food Project, based in Lynn, but this year the organization added other local initiatives and didn't have the staff.

Rand called around, trying to figure out what was going on.

"I finally called someone, and they referred me back to me," she said with a laugh. "They said, 'I think she's doing something.' So I said, I guess I'm running the market."

It opened yesterday, with customers stopping by between sunshine and showers to buy fresh strawberries and squash, peas and chard, goat cheese, and other local goods.

"We got a good, steady stream," said Rand, a Beverly resident.

The market will be open every Monday from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. in Ellis Square, off Cabot Street in downtown Beverly.

In addition to selling fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs and cheese, Rand said she wants to add vendors for bread, honey, flowers, and crafts. She has a massage therapist lined up for July and August, and wants to bring in some musicians for entertainment.

The market also supports WIC, a federal nutrition program that provides discounts to low-income women, children and infants. Eventually, Rand hopes to accept food stamps as well.

"I went into it thinking about what I would want at a farmers market," she said.

She's also been working with Melissa Diamond, North Shore director of The Food Project, to transition the management of the market.

"We very much want the Beverly market to be successful," Diamond said. "We're thrilled she's taking it on."

The nonprofit started the market in 2006, but this year opened a new farm in Ipswich, a community supported agriculture program, and expanded its distribution of produce to local organizations, including the River House homeless shelter and the First Baptist Church.

"We had to kind of make some decisions about the activities we were doing in Beverly," Diamond said. "It felt like something had to go."

Thankfully, it didn't go for good, said Michele Gordon, a Beverly resident who shops at the market "every year, every week."

She had heard it was closing, but was running errands yesterday and decided to stop by just to make sure. She was pleasantly surprised to see the stands set up.

"I thought it had disappeared," she said. "I'm thrilled they're here."

As the summer goes on, Rand said she plans to watch it grow.

"I want it to get beautiful," she said. "And so big that we can move it to another place."

Staff writer Cate Lecuyer can be reached at clecuyer@salemnews.com