Displaying items by tag: Saratoga Farmers' Market

This past Wednesday officially marks the fall equinox. Still, without consulting the calendar, we start to feel the signs: the first leaves begin to turn, we wake up to cooler and darker mornings, and pumpkins and other winter squash make bold appearances.

At the Saratoga Farmers’ Market, we are preparing to fully embrace the transition to a new season by honoring pumpkins, a quintessential symbol of fall. This year, the market is kicking off the autumnal season by co-hosting the 6th Annual Saratoga Giant Pumpkin Fest, organized by the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce, on September 25th. The giant pumpkins are brought in by local growers and will be displayed in the Saratoga Springs City Center Parking Garage starting at 10 am, with the official weigh-off at 11 am.

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market, located at 112 High Rock Ave., will be open from 9 am-2 pm, staying open an additional hour from its usual times to accommodate event crowds. A select group of vendors will continue vending until 4 pm, coinciding with the end of the Chamber’s event. Stop by the farmers’ market before or after viewing the pumpkins to browse a selection of seasonal fall goods from local farmers and producers.

You will find fall staples like apple cider, cider donuts, and pumpkin-flavored products, including cheesecake, peanut butter, jams, pies, cheese, and granola. Vendors will also have plenty of fall decor (and apparel, too) like potted mums, gourds, and of course, plenty of pumpkins. The farmers’ market will welcome a new vendor, Snyder’s Brooms, offering old-fashioned handmade brooms ready for sweeping those fall leaves. 

In addition to the bounty of fall products on Saturday, families can enjoy free children’s activities, including a live book reading by Elizabeth Macy and Lucky the Dog at 10 am and live music by Brendan Dailey and Zak Trojano. Stay tuned for more family-friendly activities to be announced before Saturday’s event. 

This Saturday will have it all: leaf-peeping, pumpkin purveying, and a farmers’ market bursting with fall fun and local products. We are getting into the spirit of the season with a recipe for apple pumpkin upside-down cake, and many ingredients will be available at the market this Saturday.

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is open Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Wednesdays from 3 to 6 p.m. at High Rock Park. Find us online at www.saratogafarmersmarket.org and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

As the air gets a slight chill, we look forward to incorporating fresh produce and locally crafted products into the many festivities that the fall season offers. Before we can think of Thanksgiving or Halloween, the Bavarian Oktoberfest gives us a joyful excuse to start connecting food and community in September.

Yes, September: Oktoberfest takes place in the two-plus weeks leading up to October. The world’s largest “Volksfest,” a beer festival and traveling funfair, originated in 1810 and is held annually in Munich. If you are looking to host your own Oktoberfest celebration, here are some ideas for items to grab from the farmers’ market to honor traditional Bavarian foods while supporting local food and drink producers.

The classic image of Oktoberfest is gleeful celebrants toasting (or “prost” ing) massive glasses of beer. The Saratoga Farmers’ Market’s newest vendor, Mean Max Brew Works, offers a special “Sixteen Days” Oktoberfest beer, referencing the traditional length of the fest. The brew is a traditional German-style lager and comes in four packs of pint-sized cans (two of which add up to the standard one-liter Oktoberfest serving). Mean Max offers other beers like sours, ales, and stouts, as well.

Then, for food. As expected, pork plays a part in traditional festivities in the form of sausages and shoulder and knuckle roasts. Stop by Ramble Creek Farm, Grazin’ Acres Farm, or Mariaville Mushroom Men to pick up a pork cut of your choice. But an even more common meat found at German celebrations is roasted chicken. Pick up a whole bird or parts at producers like Squash Villa Farm, Longlesson Farm, Ramble Creek Farm, or Grazin’ Acres Farm. Season thoroughly with poultry seasoning, found at Muddy Trail Jerky. And a lesser known but equally traditional protein is “Steckerlfisch,” literally meaning fish on a stick. Use whitefish, mackerel, or trout from Pura Vida fisheries and roast with oil, garlic, and spices.

Lastly, include dishes made from seasonal produce like salted beer radish, available at Green Jeans Market Farm, which serves as a light snack to wash down all that beer. Other traditional snacks include potato pancakes or dumplings, sauerkraut, and of course, freshly baked soft pretzels. Dip the latter in this “obatzda,” a Bavarian beer cheese spread.

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is open Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Wednesdays from 3 to 6 p.m. at High Rock Park. Find us online at www.saratogafarmersmarket.org and follow us on Facebook and Instagram. 

Late summer’s bounty of fruits and vegetables is here. Vine-ripened tomatoes shift from green to red almost overnight, ripe cucumbers seem to hide under every leaf, and zucchinis of all shapes and sizes make impressive harvests. Whether you are a home gardener or an avid farmers’ market shopper, the abundance of summer produce can be overwhelming as they are only fresh for so long.

While enjoying fresh food is undoubtedly the best, preserving fresh fruits and vegetables has many benefits. Canning, drying, and freezing allow you to control your food ingredients and eat healthy year-round. Preserving food reduces food waste, waste in landfills, and our environmental footprint. It also contributes to the local economy and your wallet. With time and proper instruction, canning, drying, and freezing food is surprisingly easy.

There are specific methods to preserve certain foods; however, the fruits and vegetables that can be preserved are countless. Apples may be cooked down into applesauce for canning or freezing. Tomatoes may be stewed or dried or made into sauce or salsa. Cucumbers, beets, bell peppers, cauliflower, and green beans can be pickled. Mushrooms, berries, herbs, and even kale can be dried. You can freeze fruit, and many vegetables can be blanched and frozen.

Before getting started, Diane Whitten, Food Preservation Educator for Cornell Cooperative Extension of Saratoga County, stresses the importance of food safety. “Always start with good quality fresh fruits and vegetables,” says Whitten. “Preserve them as soon as possible,” she adds.

In the day of online recipes and instructions, Whitten emphasizes the importance of using safe preservation methods to avoid spoilage, contamination, and even botulism (food poisoning caused by bacteria). Whitten offers several in-depth presentations and how-to videos from verified sources on Cornell Cooperative Extension’s website http://ccesaratoga.org/nutrition-food/food-preservation. Whitten also recommends The National Center for Home Food Preservation as an online source for current research-based recommendations for most home food preservation methods. 

Don’t shy away when you find a good deal on a flat of tomatoes, a bushel of apples, or quarts of beets, cucumbers, or beans at the farmers’ market. There is a use for everything and preserving food at home can be fun and very beneficial.

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is open Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Wednesdays from 3 to 6 p.m. at High Rock Park. Find us online at www.saratogafarmersmarket.org and follow us on Facebook and Instagram. 

On Wednesday afternoons under the shade of the south pavilion in High Rock Park, you can find Janine Stockin, also known as Jai, owner of Nine Pine Soup & Design, behind a table of thoughtfully displayed products.

Pine cones adorn a table with jars of white pine needles, teas, and oils. Homemade soup broth gently steams nearby. Tree branches, carefully woven with colorful yarn, are placed around the space. The art of decorating these branches is known as Ojo de Dios or God’s Eye; a traditional Mexican craft that symbolizes peace, protection, and prosperity. Jai handmakes each piece in various sizes and colors meant to inspire meditation and a sense of calmness. 

The main focus of her business is the needles of the white pine tree, a conifer traditionally used for lumber and sap. In this case, Jai uses the pine needles to brew tea and oils rich in vitamins and antioxidants. 

Jai sought a spot as a vendor with the Saratoga Farmers’ Market to share the many benefits of white pine needles with the community. She has been studying plants since age 14 and pursued an education, earning a degree in Botany and Earth Science. In January 2019, Jai became inspired by information on white pine from well-known herbalists like Susan Weed and wildfoodhealthboosters.com. 

White pine has a rich history with Iroquois roots and is known as the “Tree of Peace” for helping to end a conflict between the Five Nations. White pine needles are rich in compounds linked to better health, and, historically, they have had many uses as natural remedies. They are high in antioxidants, Vitamin C, calcium, and potassium. 

Jai makes a healing massage oil infused with white pine oil and almond oil, which deeply conditions the skin. She notes the uplifting aromatherapy of the tea and oil, which soothes and nourishes the body. Jai also makes white pine broth and white pine iced tea. 

Stop by the Wednesday market to speak with Jai about her products and sample her fresh white pine needle tea and broth. Also, find Nine Pine Soup & Design on Instagram. For more information on her products, contact Jai at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is open Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Wednesdays from 3 to 6 p.m. at High Rock Park. Find us online at www.saratogafarmersmarket.org and follow us on Facebook and Instagram. 

When you take a trip to the farmers’ market in August, what do you expect to find? Surely, fresh produce comes to mind. Sweet corn, tomatoes, and peppers. Maybe eggs, bread, or meats. While those are all certainly a big part of the market right now, keep an eye out for these more unexpected products the next time you visit the farmers’ market.

Plant power

The lush array of plants and herbs at Green Jeans Market Farm include some unusual items that you might have never thought to grow yourself. Take the stevia plant: rather than the powdered white substance found at the grocery store, the plant’s lush green leaves add a hint of natural sweetness to tea or baked goods. Or pick up a catnip plant to use for your cat to enjoy, or, avid gardeners: plant it between rows of vegetables to deter certain pests and animals.

Adult beverages, done differently

There are several great distillers and cider makers at the farmers’ market. If you’re looking to try something new, consider ”cyser” from Ballston Lake Apiaries. Cyser is a honey apple wine, a sweeter and tarter type of mead made with the apiary’s honey and New York apples.

A new vendor this season, Old Tavern Farm, offers 4-packs of canned wine. Choose between rose and chardonnay, and be forewarned: each can contains half a bottle of wine! Ideal for bringing to the track if you’re looking to pick up some beverages before the Travers.

Sip your way to wellness

Argyle Cheese Farmer has a product for you if you enjoy farm-fresh milk but have noticed digestional discomfort after drinking it. Using only milk from a specific type of cow, their “Just A2” kinds of milk don’t contain the A1 protein associated with some cases of indigestion. A gentler way of drinking milk without sacrificing taste.

Moon Cycle Seed Company knows all about being gentler with your body. The wellness brand offers “moon milk:” a soothing drink blend derived from ayurvedic traditions. Grab any of three flavors: cherry beetroot, lavender cardamom, or golden turmeric, and brew with warm milk and honey for a heart-warming concoction.

The next time you visit the farmers’ market, spend some time visiting vendors off the beaten path and uncover an unexpected item that might become your new favorite.

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is open Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Wednesdays from 3 to 6 p.m. at High Rock Park. Find us online at www.saratogafarmersmarket.org and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

In February 2021, Leigh Rathner and his wife Cindy Rosenberg moved from Los Angeles to Saratoga Springs, where Rathner had lived earlier in life and raised his children. They had a dream: To feed people and build community. The center was bread. 

Seven months later, their dream has grown into NightWork Bread. NightWork is derived from Rathner’s previous work of logging difficult late-night hours in the film business. Now, those late hours mean care and passion. Rathner makes slow-rising, naturally fermented sourdough bread, often working late at night.

Rosenberg brings the bread to the Saratoga Farmers’ Market on Saturday mornings, where it sells fast. In seven months, Rathner has gone from making 25 loaves a week to 325. 

Their feat is remarkable. Besides learning the basics of business and the many factors that influence the making of artisan bread, they have had to figure out how to build customer support as newcomers to a place where old loyalties run deep.

The secret is bread.

“I’ve always been a community builder,” Rosenberg says. “Bread is a community builder, too.”

The connection got clear in 2020.

Rathner and Rosenberg lived in Los Angeles in a 145-unit condominium, where they knew three other people. Everyone was working or commuting. The COVID-19 pandemic brought people home, including Rathner who saw making bread as a means of calming the mind after his work dried up. As the loaves piled up, Rosenberg began distributing them. They met more people and in the once-lifeless building, a sense of community formed.

People began stopping in open-air hallways and other spaces to chat. Chats became meetups with food and drink. Neighbors began offering Rathner money to cover his bread-making costs. Then came preorders, and ultimately a product Rathner felt comfortable selling to others. 

“That’s how we lived through the pandemic,” Rathner says. “Bread was a part of it.”

He and Rosenberg yearned to move to a smaller town with a strong farm-to-table ethos. Saratoga seemed like a good fit.

Rosenberg, an acupuncturist, learned how to use Instagram from one of her clients in her last days in Los Angeles. En route to Saratoga, she posted reports via Facebook and began friending people and businesses locally, including me after a mutual friend put us in touch. 

Rathner’s past ties to Saratoga also helped. His children had attended the Waldorf School, and even after he left, his friendships with some Waldorf parents had remained strong. 

NightWork Bread is now available at three farmers’ markets, including Saratoga, and Rathner and Rosenberg hope eventually to open a store. 

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is open Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Wednesdays from 3 to 6 p.m. at High Rock Park. Find us online at www.saratogafarmersmarket.org and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

The meat vendors bring cuts of beef, goat, lamb, pork, and veal all year. They humanely raise animals and are not CAFOs (concentrated animal feeding operations). Growth promoting hormones and routine antibiotics are never used, and no animal by-products are ever fed.

Josh Carnes started Ramble Creek Farm in 2018. The farm raises heritage-breed pigs to produce their “forest-raised pork,” which lives in their woods protected by an electric-powered net. The farm also produces beef.

Nathan and Meghan Mattison started Grazin’ Acres Farm in 2012 after meeting at the Washington County Fair, where they continue showing their cattle.  They offer beef cuts and will provide custom cuts that customers order. They also pasture-raise their heritage breed pigs. In the future, they’ll also offer cuts of lamb.

Another beef and pork producer, Longlesson Farm, has been a vendor for many years. The farm, started by Christophe Robert’s wife Shannon’s parents, now has 450 acres that supply pasture and hay for their herd of Black Angus. They’ve learned that grass is good for cows, and cows are good for grass! And they’ll have new cuts of pork in the fall.

Hebron Valley Veal is also a new vendor. Ariel Garland and Matt Campbell raise calves from their dairy cows. Their calves are never tethered and receive milk from their registered Holsteins. When six months old, the calves are processed for rose veal cuts, which are lean and tender.

The Market’s goat meat producer, Squash Villa Farm, run by Himanee and Jim Gupta-Carlson, recently bought historic Wright farm in Easton, where French Alpine descendant goats enjoy grazing. Squash Villa is the only goat farm at Wednesday and Saturday Markets.

Mary and Bob Pratt have raised lamb since 1987 at Elihu Farm, named for Revolutionary Patriot Elihu Gifford. Their sheep are purebred Romneys (longwool) and crossbreds (medium wool). Their cuts of lamb are very healthy since most of the fat surrounds the muscles and is easily trimmed. 

Mariaville Mushroom Men is from Schenectady County. Bobby Chandler said that in addition to mushrooms, they raise pork and currently offer seasoned bacon, pork chops, and spare ribs. 

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is open Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Wednesdays from 3 to 6 p.m. at High Rock Park. Find us online at www.saratogafarmersmarket.org and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

In 2015, Katie Rhodes began training for her first marathon. Constantly hungry from her busy schedule, granola bars became her go-to snack until she took a closer look at the ingredients she was putting in her body.

Most traditional granola bars are highly processed and packed with sugar. Looking to keep herself both full and healthy for her training, Katie decided to make her own granola bar using healthier ingredients and the Charlie Bar was born: a dark chocolate, apricot, and almond bar. Not long after, friends and coworkers began placing orders for bars and the personal venture became a business: TogaNola was formed. “With a mission to provide clean energy for everyone who aspires to be a better version of themselves,” says Rhodes.

In the past 6 years, TogaNola has expanded its range beyond its now 5 flavors of granola bars, adding granola clusters and “protein bombs” in a variety of flavors, like Maple Almond Butter and Blueberry & Ginger Sunflower Seed. All TogaNola products are free of gluten, dairy, and soy, and several flavors are vegan, so there are many options to accommodate dietary restrictions of all types. The business is committed to using locally sourced ingredients, compostable packaging, natural sweeteners (such as local honey and maple syrup), and small-batch baking. 

Whether it’s a hike on a warm summer morning or skiing on a cold winter day, granola is the perfect snack for all types of adventures. Rhodes can attest to that herself: TogaNola granola bars and clusters have accompanied Katie on countless trips including a single season round of the 46 High Peaks last winter. “The bars are hearty and easily transported in a mess free package. They don’t freeze solid, even in the freezing winter temperatures in the Adirondacks, which is crucial to support Katie on her big hikes,” says husband and co-owner Ken Rhodes.

TogaNola got its start selling at local farmers’ markets and has recently expanded to include an online store and partnerships with local businesses. Katie and Ken are excited to be joining the Saratoga Farmers’ Market as an opportunity to interact directly with their customers and meet other local vendors. 

TogaNola’s next adventure? Handmade, locally sourced dehydrated meals to fuel trips that span multiple days. Keep an eye out for this new product later this year at the farmers’ market, and stay full and fueled with TogaNola’s granola bars, clusters, and protein bombs, available every Saturday at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market.

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is open Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Wednesdays from 3 to 6 p.m. at High Rock Park. Find us online at www.saratogafarmersmarket.org and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

There’s a magical time in July and August where we get to the sweet spot of fresh produce at the farmers’ market here in upstate New York. Every week farmers’ tables are piled even higher with a rainbow of colors, and the literal sweet spot lies in the sweet corn, lush tomatoes, and colorful berries that come fresh off the land.

Since the seasons change faster than the blink of an eye, we at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market won’t let the sweetness of summer go by without a celebration. This Saturday, July 31, from 9 a.m.- 1 p.m. at High Rock Park, join us for our third annual (excluding 2020, of course!) Blueberry Jam-boree.

Blueberries are native to North America and have been for over 10,000 years, so it’s no wonder that it’s one of America’s favorite berries. And to enjoy the fruits from local farmers, grown without pesticides and picked fresh, is to experience an extra sweet and nutritious taste of summer. 

Several local farms will bring the best of this season’s blueberries, ranging from snack cups, to pints, to quarts. Many other vendors will feature blueberry-flavored or inspired products, like blueberry jams from Kokinda Farm and hand pies from The Food Florist and Night Work Bread. Ballston Lake Apiaries will bring blueberry-infused honey, and Slate Valley Farms has blueberry maple syrup and blueberry-lavender lemonade. Other items include blueberry-lemon fromage frais at Nettle Meadow and blueberry Italian cream soda at Something’s Brewing. Well-behaved four-footed friends are welcome, too, and can enjoy blueberry pupcakes at Mugzy’s Barkery. More blueberry specials as well as samples will be listed day-of.

Market staff will host free activities and tastings for children and adults, like a scavenger hunt, craft, and blueberry corn hole. Recipe cards and preservation tips will be available at select vendors to help you find inspiration to cook or bake something new with fresh blueberries. Live music by Geo Beat will add even more jam to the jam-boree!

To learn more about the Blueberry Jam-boree and keep up with news on the event, find our event page on Facebook. Then come to High Rock Park on July 31 to join the fun!

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is open Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Wednesdays from 3 to 6 p.m. at High Rock Park. Find us online at www.saratogafarmersmarket.org and follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter on our website.

Ensuring that fresh, local, and healthy foods are accessible to the local community is a top priority for farmers’ markets. Thankfully, there are various programs available that can help bridge the gap.

Year-round at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market’s Wednesday and Saturday markets, customers who own an EBT (Electronic Benefits Transfer) card can exchange their SNAP benefits for farmers’ market tokens to purchase fresh foods, including fruit and vegetables, bread and baked goods, meat, fish, and poultry, dairy products, honey and maple products, and value-added foods like soup mixes, sauces, and jams and jellies. Herb plants and plants that produce food are also approved purchases with EBT coins. The market additionally offers SNAP incentive programs, such as FreshConnect, that provide extra coupons or tokens to spend, meaning customers receive more value than they spend. With FreshConnect, every $5 a customer spends with their EBT benefits; they receive a $2 FreshConnect coupon to spend at the farmers’ market.

More seasonally, the Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) is a New York State program that offers WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) participants and seniors coupons to purchase fresh fruit and vegetables at the farmers’ market. Our local WIC office distributes WIC coupons. Senior coupons will be distributed by the Saratoga County Office for the Aging on-site at the Saratoga market on Saturday, August 7 (9 a.m.-1 p.m.) and Wednesday, August 11 (3-5 p.m.) at High Rock Park. The Office for the Aging will also distribute the coupons at the Clifton Park market on Monday, July 26 (2-5 p.m.) and Monday, August 16 (2-5 p.m.) at the Shenendehowa United Methodist Church. Individuals aged 60+ who live on a limited income may pick up a booklet of coupons containing five $4 coupons (limit one per person). 

To spend your WIC or Senior FMNP coupons at the market, look for the blue poster at participating vendors’ stalls or simply stop by the market information table for a complete list of farms accepting FMNP coupons. The FMNP season runs from June through October, after which unused coupons expire.

Utilizing the available nutrition assistance programs is a win-win-win situation. Low-income consumers have more access to healthy foods, local farmers gain income and connect with new customers, and more food dollars stay in the local economy.

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is open Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Wednesdays from 3 to 6 p.m. at High Rock Park. Find us online at saratogafarmersmarket.org and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.