Farmers Market Season Begins

Fresh vegetables, live music and locally-produced breads, brews and other foods are coming soon to an outdoor space near you. The Tri-Lakes’ farmers market season will kick off in Saranac Lake on Saturday, May 20.

The Saranac Lake farmers market — which, along with the Lake Placid farmers market, is now managed by the Adirondack North Country Association as the “High Peaks Farmers Market” — will fill Riverside Park every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. starting May 20 through Oct. 14. This market accepts SNAP benefits, FMNP coupons and Double Up Food Bucks.

Longtime Saranac Lake marketgoers might notice that this year’s summer market has expanded its season by two weeks — the market starts a week earlier than usual and ends a week later, according to Adam Dewbury, ANCA’s local food system program director.

May 20 will also be the last day of the Saranac Lake Farmers Park-It, a winter drive-up farmers market located behind the Hotel Saranac. The market will round out its season on May 20 from 10 a.m. to noon.

Daniel Rivera, the owner of Triple Green Jade farm and a member of the Saranac Lake/Lake Placid farmers market committee, said this summer’s Saranac Lake market will see the return of favorite vendors like Juniper Hill Farm, Mace Chasm Farm, North Country Creamery, Sugar House Creamery, Rulfs Orchard, brewers like Hex and Hop and Raquette River Brewing, Irma’s Tamales, Polish Korner — which is expecting to provide more ready-to-eat meals this year — and Rivera’s own Triple Green Jade Farm, among others.

However, one familiar face won’t be returning to Saranac Lake and other local markets this year: Keeseville’s Fledging Crow Farm. Owner Ian Ater is no longer selling produce to the public after declaring bankruptcy last year, a process that was finalized this past month. But Rivera said Fledging Crow’s large selection of produce at the Saranac Lake market will be matched by a market newcomer this year, the Plattsburgh-based North Point Community Farm.

Also new to Saranac Lake’s market this year are Reber Rock Farm from Essex, St. Lawrence County bakery “Nourich” and the Crown Point Bread Company, as well as Miss Bee Haven Apiary, which will offer honey and beeswax candles. Old Mountain Coffee, based in Keene Valley, will return to the Saranac Lake market with a coffee cart this year after a brief hiatus, and the Owls-Head-based Cook Family Farm will bring duck eggs and goat milk soaps to the summer market after selling in the Saranac Lake Winter Farmers Market.

On the opening day of the market, Josh Weise will kick off this year’s lineup of live musicians that will entertain marketgoers every Saturday in the park’s memorial bandshell.

Keene Valley

The popular Keene Valley Farmers Market in Marcy Field will start its season on Sunday, May 28. The Keene market will run every Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. through Oct. 8. This market accepts FMNP coupons. Though a list of new vendors coming to the market this year is not yet available, according to market Manager Brendan Richardson, most of the market’s regular vendors will be returning this year, including Wild Work Farm, Cornucopia Gourmet Mushrooms, Adirondack Country Gourmet Coffee, North Country Creamery and Mace Chasm Farm, Adirondack Kettle Corn, The Peanut Principle, Brainardsville Bake House and around 35 more.

Lake Placid

The Lake Placid High Peaks Farmers Market will set up in the Green Goddess parking lot on Saranac Avenue on Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. starting June 14 through Sept. 13. The market accepts SNAP benefits, FMNP coupons and Double Up Food Bucks.

Though the Lake Placid market is smaller than the sprawling Saranac Lake market, Rivera said the Green Goddess parking lot will be packed with vendors like Juniper Hill, Nourich bakery, the Adirondack Woodturner Ken Gadway, the Keeseville-based Mossbrook Roots Flower Farm and more. Like Saranac Lake’s market, the Lake Placid market also features live music from local musicians including Mingo and Scott Sileo.

Wilmington

The Wilmington farmers market has changed days this year, from Wednesdays to Tuesdays. The market will be held in Heritage Park, next to the Whiteface Mountain Regional Visitors Bureau on state Route 86, every Tuesday from June 20 to Aug. 29 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Michelle Preston, operations manager for the bureau, said the market was originally scheduled on Wednesdays to coincide with the nearby Riverside Thrift Shop’s open day in hopes that farmers market traffic would drive more shoppers to the thrift store, according to Preston. But that didn’t have the desired effect. Instead, she said, the Heritage Park parking lot would fill up more easily and prevent more people from stopping in at the market or the thrift store. Preston said there aren’t any other markets in the areas on Tuesdays — Lake Placid’s is also on Wednesdays — so, in an effort to boost traffic and help out farmers and customers looking to shop and vend at other local markets, Tuesday was picked as Wilmington’s new market day.

This year at the Wilmington market, old favorites like the Fratelli Pizza Restaurant and Bar and Bucksberry Farm will be returning with breads and produce, respectively. Local artisans with handpainted items and woodcrafts will also be returning. New at the Wilmington market this year is Triple Green Jade Farm, which will offer poultry, beef, baked goods and fresh eggs, according to Preston. This market also features live music to entertain marketgoers as they browse.

Tupper Lake

ADK Food Hub’s Tupper Lake Farmers Market, located outside the hub at 320 Park St., will be the last to start its season on June 24. The market will run every Friday from 2 to 6 p.m. through Oct. 21. This market accepts SNAP benefits, FMNP coupons and Double Up Food Bucks. The market often features live music.

Cherie Whitten, owner of the ADK Food Hub, said vendors will often set up for markets on Thursdays and Saturdays, too, in addition to Fridays — usually on holiday and event weekends, like the opening week of the farmers market. The Tupper Lake Tinman triathlon is also on Saturday, June 24.

Whitten said her farm — Whitten Family Farm — provides most of the meat and produce at the Tupper Lake Farmers Market. Other vendors include Jen Walsh of KW Ranch and Kitchen, who makes confections and culinary oils, as well as local woodworker Bill Barton. Outside of market hours, Whitten said the ADK Food Hub is open most days of the week and offers products and meals cooked from local farms and makers including the Essex-based Hub on the Hill, North Country Creamery and the Birch Boys.