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Father’s Day Gifts from the Market

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Compiled by SFM interns, Madison Jackson and Madeline McCarthy

Still searching for the perfect Father’s Day gift? The Saratoga Farmers’ Market has you covered!

With Father’s Day just around the corner, we have put together a list of six great gift ideas that he is sure to love. Plus, you can mix and match any of these items to fill all your Dad’s needs. Show him how much you care while also supporting these local businesses in your area. Stop by our market on Saturday, June 20, to pick up some of these locally produced gifts for Dad!

For the meat lovers:

If Dad loves to grill, we have a variety of meat for him to throw on the barbecue, including beef, chicken, pork and lamb. Or maybe he’s more of a seafood fiend? Listed below are some of our vendors that provide an array of meat options:

 

Spirited gifts:

Our market features several local distilleries and a cider house to cater to all tastes from Bourbon to Moonshine to Hard Ciders. Stop by the following vendors to take a look at all of their options:

 

For the chefs:

Meat rubs and seasonings make the perfect gift for the Dads who love to cook. Check out these vendors for all your seasoning needs:

 

For the cheese connoisseurs:

For the Dads who appreciate gourmet cheese, be sure to shop around at our local cheese vendors for an assortment of hard cheeses, feta, cheese curds, and more:

 

Spicy Lovers:

If Dad is a fan of spicy foods we have a couple options that are sure to impress. Shop at these vendors to try some delicious hot sauce, extra spicy beef jerky, or spicy pickled foods to top your burger:

 

Power of choice:

Finally, if you’re stuck on what type of meat or cheese your Dad would like, we offer Gift Certificates! These certificates can be used with any vendor and there is no expiration date, giving Dad the ability to shop at our Wednesday and Saturday markets whenever works for him.

Stuffing Stockings with the Local and Good

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By Himanee Gupta-Carlson

 

A monk, Nicholas, learned of a man who was broke. Late in the night, Nicholas crept by the man’s home and threw through the window a sock loaded with gold. He did this three times, which helped make Nicholas a saint and let the man support himself and his daughters.

We fill stockings today in honor of that generous act. And with Christmas Eve approaching, we invite you to fill them at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market with sweets, treats, and gifts grown, raised, and made by our farmers and other vendors.

Need ideas? Here are a few, based on some shopping that market photographer Pattie Garrett and I did at the market last week:

Photo courtesy of Pattie Garrett

Children: For those who believe in Santa – as well as those who might have some doubts – one must start with cookies. Marcie Place of the Chocolate Spoon has everything from gingerbread men to decorate-your-own sugar cookies. Try her chocolate dipped candied citrus strips, which evoke the oranges said to symbolize the gold that Nicholas left.

After cookies, think future farmers, and connecting them with our farms. We added a Saratoga Apple Cortland, honey from Ballston Lake Apiaries, sweet Greek yogurt from Argyle Cheese Farmer and a hedgehog shaped soap from Saratoga Suds.

 

Photo courtesy of Pattie Garrett

Pets (and pet lovers): A walk in the park accompanied by pets is part of many market regulars’ Saturday ritual. For them, we found a Saratoga Farmers’ Market water bottle and a packet of dog treats from Something’s Brewing. We added a Kokinda Farms catnip pillow, a Feathered Antler pet portrait, and from our special holiday market, a dog collar and leash from Meg Kennen’s Spot On Soaps & Collars.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo courtesy of Pattie Garrett

Newlyweds: Just about everything at the market is also a gift of romance. We chose a wine from Northern Star Vineyard paired with a wine holder made by holiday vendor William Herrington. In the holiday market, we also found hot chocolate from Saratoga Chocolate, a ring holder by ceramicist Zoe Burghard, and a dressing from Momma’s Secret Salad Dressing that features sea salt, maple syrup, and chocolate. Owl Wood kale and Puckers’ Gourmet olives created our final flourish, along with a Gomez Veggie Ville brussels sprouts stalk.

 

 

Visit the Saratoga Farmers’ Market 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturdays at the Lincoln Baths Building in Saratoga Spa State Park; follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram; and contact friends@saratogafarmersmarket.org for volunteer opportunities.