Celebrating the sweet spot of summer with a Blueberry Jam-boree

By Emily Meagher

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 31st, from 9 am-1 pm 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, hand pies from The Food Florist and Night Work Bread, and cheesecakes from Grandma Apple’s Cheesecakes. 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, blueberry Italian cream soda at Something’s Brewing, a sampling of homemade blueberry marshmallows at The Chocolate Spoon, and blueberry Sweet Greek yogurt and smoothies at Argyle Cheese Farmer. 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 31st to join the fun!

This week’s recipe: Blueberry Breakfast Cake