• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

Shop Local, Eat Fresh at the Saratoga Farmers' Market | Food, Crafts, Music in Saratoga Springs

Shop Local, Eat Fresh

  • Markets
    • Winter Market
    • Saratoga Outdoor Markets
    • Clifton Park Market
  • Vendors
    • Become A Vendor
    • Winter Vendors
    • Saratoga Outdoor Vendors
    • Clifton Park Vendors
  • About Us
    • SFM Association
    • History
  • Programs & Events
    • SNAP/EBT & FMNP
    • POP Club for Kids
    • Summer Internships
    • Compost Collection
    • Workshops
  • Get Involved
  • News
    • Featured Article
    • Seasonal Recipes
  • Contact Us

environmental stewardship

Local businesses take an eco-friendly approach

April 21, 2023 By marketeditor

By Julia Howard

 

Sustainability is a word that we often hear, and although its meaning is understood, putting it into action and accepting it as our responsibility may be more challenging. We recycle, avoid plastic bags, and some plant trees or bike over driving. But how do we take these actions a step further? How do we balance the natural environment, healthy communities, and economic vitality? As we work together to find the answers, local farms and businesses at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market share their earth-minded approach.

“We try to be environmentally conscious with everything we make and do,” explains Ken Rhodes of TogaNola. “We use raw ingredients, and the process has literally no waste. And, we’re all about the packaging.” TogaNola uses biodegradable paper packaging and compostable plant-based cellulose packaging for its products.

TogaNola, photo provided

Businesses like Junbucha and Moon Cycle Seed Company share similar sentiments, prioritizing environmental stewardship by composting food waste and recycling in their production facility. Filtering systems reduce water consumption during processing.

At Kokinda Farm, composted manure nourishes the soil, ensuring balanced nutrients for a successful growing season. The farm is also committed to reusing and recycling found and thrown-away items. “It’s amazing what people throw away,” says Laurie Kokinda, the farm owner. “We use discarded tomato cages and even found a giant insulated cooler for my farm stand.”

Many local farms compost, rotate crops, and use cover crops to hold soil nutrients. These farming practices are vital in supporting land ecology. Lovin’ Mama and Owl Wood Farm promote no-till, regenerative farming, understanding that undisturbed soil layers build a healthy ecosystem with many benefits—mainly healthy soil to grow healthy food.

Hebron Valley Veal, photo provided

Hebron Valley Meats owners Ariel Garland and Matt Campbell carefully manage their farm with sustainable practices. “We rotationally graze our cows and believe in keeping everything super local. We source hay locally and use a local butcher,” Ariel explains.

At Hepatic Farm, Melanie Seserman and Arthur Kraamwinkel have found the best way to raise Certified Organic poultry is in the pasture. “Our poultry is totally all-natural,” says Melanie. “As soon as the chickens hatch, they are shipped to the farm overnight, and we give them organic feed. Every day they are moved to fresh pasture. It’s the real deal.”

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is open on Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Wilton Mall Food Court. Find us online at www.saratogafarmersmarket.org, where you can sign up for our weekly newsletter and follow us on Facebook and Instagram. The farmers’ market will return to High Rock Park on Wednesday, May 3, 2023.

Filed Under: Featured Article, homepage feature, News Tagged With: Eco-Friendly, environmental stewardship, Hebron Valley Meats, hepatica farm, Lovin' Mama Farm, Moon Cycle Seed Company, Owl Wood Farm, TogaNola

Celebrate Earth Day by heading to the farmers’ market

April 19, 2022 By marketeditor

By Julia Howard

Earth Day is April 22, and with it comes the opportunity to reflect on the environment; what can we do to honor and protect the nature surrounding us. Earthday.org describes this global event as not just a day but a movement. At Saratoga Farmers’ Market, we agree wholeheartedly. The environmentally-conscious collaboration between local businesses, farms, shoppers, and the community is inspiring and encouraging, and we invite you to join in!

Composting at the Saratoga Farmers Market, photo by Madison Jackson.

Saratoga Farmers’ Market is pleased to continue offering community composting with help from Squash Villa Farm. Market-goers may drop fruit and vegetable scraps and compostable household matter like coffee grounds and eggshells in a large composting bin located at the TrustCo entrance at the Wilton Mall. Composted material is donated to local farms.

By shopping with baskets and reusable bags and adopting healthy habits like carpooling or taking public transit, we all can contribute to a healthy environment. 

And, when you shop at Saratoga Farmers’ Market, every dollar makes a difference in supporting local farms and businesses that, in turn, support environmental health and sustainability.

Local businesses have found innovative ways to reduce waste, which substantially affects the environment. Mean Max Brew Works repurposes their spent grain at [farmacy] Restobar in Glens Falls, where the restaurant makes crackers and other dishes from the leftovers. Argyle Cheese Farmer makes bread from whey, a byproduct of making cheese. Award-winning cheesemakers, Nettle Meadow, feed whey to their goats. And, Pork & Greens pigs feast on food bank goods, spent brewer’s grains, and whey.

Businesses like Junbucha prioritize environmental stewardship by composting food waste and recycling cardboard, metal, and plastic in their production facility. Filtering systems reduce their water consumption.

Reusing packaging is also a top priority. Farms accept clean egg cartons, plastic and glass containers, and even rubber bands from produce. Ballston Lake Apiaries sterilizes and reuses all of their glass honey jars rinsed and returned by customers. 

Lovin’ Mama Farm, photo provided

Many local farms, such as Pleasant Valley Farm, compost, rotate crops and use cover crops to hold soil nutrients. These farming practices are vital in supporting land ecology. Lovin’ Mama and Owl Wood Farm promote no-till, regenerative farming. Undisturbed soil layers build a healthy ecosystem with many benefits—mainly healthy soil to grow healthy food.

This week’s recipe: Chicken Spinach Salad with Butternut Squash

Filed Under: Featured Article, homepage feature, News Tagged With: Argyle Cheese Farmer, buy local, compost, Earth, Earth Day, Eco-Friendly, environmental stewardship, farmers, farmers markets, farms, junbucha, local businesses, local farms, Lovin' Mama Farm, Mean Max Brew Works, Nettle Meadow, Pleasant Valley Farm, Pork & Greens, reuse, Saratoga Farmers' Market, shop local, Squash Villa Farm

Before Footer

Instagram

We are here today! Amazing music … fantastic ve We are here today!  Amazing music … fantastic vendors … added crafters … and we’re here until 1:30!
#saratogafarmersmarket
We are excited about tomorrow's Holiday Craft Fair We are excited about tomorrow's Holiday Craft Fair  at Wilton Mall in the food court.
Here are some of the vendor highlights. We look forward to seeing you from 9:30 to 1:30 to celebrate the holidays.
* Hepatica Farm: Holiday Egg Sale: get 2 dozen of our Pastured Certified Organic Eggs for $12 or 1 dozen for $8. We also have ground chicken.
* Muddy Trail: We have 8 varieties including Alphabet Soup, Fiesta Chicken Tortilla, Ginger Scallion Ramen, Spinach Tortellini & more.  Serves 6-8! 
* Mugzy's Barkery: Mugzy's Barkery offers a variety of gift items. Pre-orders for Custom Bones begin now!  Text 518-573-0400, message us on fb or insta, or email  mugzysbarkery@gmail.com 
* Jireh Organic Farms & Livestock: Purchase $40 of meat - get Non-GMO Eggs half price!  GMO Free Pork: Bacon, Hams, Tenderloins, Hot Italian Sausage links, Breakfast Sausage, Ground Pork, Hocks, Organs and more!! GMO Free Chickens (whole & cut-ups), soup parts, feet for bone broth / collagen, livers, etc....
* Owl Wood Farm: Come out this Saturday to get delicious greens for the week. We still have a full selection. We plan to be attending a couple more markets so stock up on bulk root bags.
* Saratoga Peanut Butter:pick up our Classic and Holiday gift sets.
* Squash Villa Farm: Find us INSIDE starting this Saturday with our delicious meats and more.
* Scotch Ridge Berry & Tree Farm: Scotch Ridge will have our farm made all natural Christmas decorations available just outside the main market entrance each Saturday until Christmas. 
* Vashti's Kitchen Delights: Come and enjoy the fusion of Caribbean and American flavors at Vashti's Kitchen Delights. Our authentic cuisine is prepared with fresh herbs and spices! 
* Nally Coffee: Get a FREE cup of coffee with your purchase of any 1lb bag of coffee!
* Lovin’ Mama Farms: Happy December!  We have 5 greenhouses loaded with greens and potted herbs, and coolers full of storage roots.  It's amazingly fun and creative to eat local this time of year with seasonal greens and root veggies. 
* Hebron Valley Meats: We will be missing the farmers market this week but look forward to seeing everyone at the 12/9 market. 
#saratogafarmersmarket
This weekend discover fabulously fresh products fo This weekend discover fabulously fresh products for all of your holiday baking…
* Buttermilk and Greek yogurt from Argyle Cheese Farmer.
* Honey, which makes a fantastic sweetener in many recipes, can be found at Ballston Lake Apiaries and Slate Valley Farms, as can maple syrup, which you can also find at Slate Valley Farms.
* Applesauce, cider, and fresh apples are always available at Saratoga Apple; equally good alternative sweeteners to consider, and applesauce can be an excellent replacement for oils in many recipes.
* Looking for deliciously locally made jams that are perfect for thumbprint cookies, Linzer cookies, and anything jam-filled? Visit Kokinda Farm.
* Consider making your peanut butter cookies pop this holiday season with unique flavors from Saratoga Peanut Butter.
* Are you making Tiramisu? Grab locally fresh-roasted coffee from Nally Coffee.
* And, of course, there are fresh farm eggs at Hepatica Farm, Grazin’ Acres Farm, and Jireh Organic Farm & Livestock.
* Is bread pudding on your holiday menu? Grab that main bread base from Katie Bakes Gluten-Free, NightWork Bread, or The Bread Butler.
* And check out Muddy Trail and their Perpetual Vanilla; it’s fantastic. They also have nine convenient baking mixes to browse and explore!
If you don’t want to bake, that’s A-OK, too! The Saratoga Farmers’ Market has the non- baker, ‘need a break,’ or ‘need something quick’ covered too. Just visit one of the pre-
made sweet treat vendors;
Goodway Gourmet
Katie Bakes Gluten-Free
NightWork Bread
Parchment Baking Company
Sweet Treats by Jennifer
Perogi, Pierogi, Pyroogi
#saratogafarmersmarket #saratogafarmersmarket🔆 #bakingseasonhasbegun #holidaybakingbegins #locallymadegoods
This weekend we have special guests at the Saratog This weekend we have special guests at the Saratoga Farmers' Market for our first pop up holiday crafters market.  They will be joining our regular (and fabulous) weekly vendors for the beginning of our holiday season.  They are here for one week only!!!
We look forward to seeing you on Saturday, December 2nd at the Wilton Mall in the Food Court.  The market is open from 9:30 AM to 1:30 PM. 
#saratogafarmersmarket #saratogafarmersmarket🔆 #holidaycraftfair #popupholidaymarket #supportlocallymade

Footer

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

With support from our friends at:

Copyright © 2023 · Saratoga Farmers Market · Design by REACH CREATIVE

    COVID-19: Check our latest Safety Guidelines!
  • Markets
    • Winter Market
    • Saratoga Outdoor Markets
    • Clifton Park Market
  • Vendors
    • Become A Vendor
    • Winter Vendors
    • Saratoga Outdoor Vendors
    • Clifton Park Vendors
  • About Us
    • SFM Association
    • History
  • Programs & Events
    • SNAP/EBT & FMNP
    • POP Club for Kids
    • Summer Internships
    • Compost Collection
    • Workshops
  • Get Involved
  • News
    • Featured Article
    • Seasonal Recipes
  • Contact Us