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

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summer 2021

The secret to the best breakfast sandwich? Farm fresh ingredients.

May 4, 2021 By marketeditor

By Emily Meagher

M&A Farm, photo by Pattie Garrett

A good breakfast sandwich is a New York staple, and people tend to have strong opinions about their favorites. Does it come on a bagel, English muffin, or a biscuit? Do you top it with bacon, sausage, or no meat at all? Saratoga Farmers’ Market customers can put it to the test: the breakfast sandwich is back.

Returning for their 22nd year, with a one-year hiatus in 2020, M&A Farm’s staff dishes up stacks of breakfast menu items for customers to customize into their favorite sandwich. Served on English muffins, M&A uses local, farm-fresh eggs and meats (sausage and ham – combine them to order a “Manwich”) and provides the option to add a hash brown.

At 85, Arnold Grant continues as the farm owner and the main cook at M&A’s stand, but he has help from a big crew made up of three different generations in the family. The Grant family has owned their farm, located in Durkeetown, NY, between Fort Edward and Argyle, for over 200 years.

“My first memories are of the farm being operated as a dairy farm by my great uncle, and then by my dad, still as a dairy farm,” says Grant. In 1998, he joined the Saratoga Farmers’ Market initially to sell his meats and eggs, and over a decade later the breakfast sandwiches were added. Those took off and eventually became their mainstay. Although the meats and eggs don’t come from the Grant farm anymore, they are still sourced local from their neighbors’ farms.

M&A Farm, photo provided

Over the years, M&A Farm has been a crowd favorite, as well as a Saturday farmers’ market breakfast tradition. Many customers were noticeably excited for their return last weekend as the summer market season officially began.

“It hasn’t seemed right without you,” said a customer named Linda just as we walked up to speak to owner Arnold Grant. At the same time, customers who only recently started shopping at the farmers’ market since last year’s move to the Wilton Mall were pleasantly surprised to see a new ready-to-eat option. “We’re so excited to see egg & cheese sandwiches at the market! Now we know to skip breakfast and come straight here,” noted Bethany, another market-goer.

“We’ve been open for a long time,” says Grant resolutely. “I’m hoping to pass the business on to my granddaughter. At 85, I’m getting ready to retire soon, but I’d like it to stay in the family,” he adds. It sounds like Saratoga Farmers’ Market customers will be able to enjoy the farm-fresh sandwiches for some time to come.

This week’s recipe: Farmers’ Market Frittata

Filed Under: homepage feature, News, Seasonal Recipes Tagged With: breakfast, egg and cheese, ham, M&A Farm, sandwich, Sausage, summer 2021

Saratoga Farmers’ Market to begin 43rd outdoor season in two locations

April 27, 2021 By marketeditor

Outdoor Saturday Market, photo by Pattie Garrett

By Madison Jackson

Spring is in the air, and we are eager to move outdoors for our summer market season. May 1st marks the beginning of the 43rd outdoor market season for the Saratoga Farmers’ Market, the area’s longest-running, producer-only farmers’ market. The Saturday market will open at the current location, the Wilton Mall Bon-Ton parking lot, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Wednesday market will open at High Rock Park in downtown Saratoga Springs from 3 to 6 p.m. every week.

The location split results from various factors, including COVID-19 social distancing guidelines, customer parking, accessibility, and community feedback. A recent survey with more than 700 responses resulted in an even split in public opinion on holding markets downtown versus the Wilton Mall.

Balet Flowers & Design, photo by Pattie Garrett

This year’s weekly Saturday markets will feature more than 70 vendors selling fresh produce, dairy products, eggs, meat, poultry, flowers, prepared foods, and more. The Wednesday markets will feature about 20 vendors with a similar range of products. Both markets will also include music, community guests, and periodic special events like Saturday’s Blueberry Festival in July and Power of Produce (POP) Club for kids on Wednesdays this summer.

We are excited to welcome new and returning vendors into the mix carrying a variety of products. Some to look out for include Capital Greens NY, Charlton Woodworking, Dancing Ewe Farm, Grazin’ Acres Farm, Leaning Birch Farm, Lovin’ Mama Farm, M & A Farm, Mirage Waterless, Native Farm Flowers, Night Work Bread, Old Tavern Farm, TogaNola Snack Company, Vashti’s Kitchen Delights, and Nine Pine Soup and Design.

Shushan Valley Hydro Farms & Underwood’s Greenhouses, photo by Pattie Garrett

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market has remained committed to creating a safe environment for both vendors and customers, including handwashing and sanitizing stations, social distancing, and mask requirements. As we move into the summer season, we will continue to enforce these state-issued regulations for the health and safety of our community.

The addition of an online ordering and curbside pickup program has provided an alternative for customers to safely and conveniently access local goods without having to shop inside the market. Orders can be placed online each week between Monday at 9 p.m. and Thursday at 9 p.m. for curbside pickup on Saturdays.

“Warming temperatures are a sign that the summer market season is about to begin, and we can’t wait for all it will bring this year: spring flowers, summer produce, live music, and community in the great outdoors,” says Market Administrator Emily Meagher.

Find our full listing of summer vendors in our Vendor Directory.

Filed Under: Featured Article, homepage feature, News Tagged With: 2021, High Rock Park, new vendors, outdoor markets, summer 2021, summer season, Wilton Mall

A ‘new normal’ for Saratoga Farmers’ Market?

March 8, 2021 By marketeditor

By Himanee Gupta-Carlson

The outdoor season for the Saratoga Farmers’ Market begins in eight weeks. What will that mean for vendors, market staff, and the market’s many loyal shoppers as Saratoga and its surrounding communities start to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic?

The market was in a state of flux, even before the pandemic. It moved its indoor location in 2019 from the Saratoga Spa State Park, where it had been for six years, to the Wilton Mall. The market shut down for a week in March 2020 when the strictest restrictions were imposed but was able to reopen quickly by moving outdoors to the empty mall parking lot outside the shuttered Bon Ton. Summer construction work and continued safety concerns made a return to its traditional outdoor locale at High Rock Park impossible, so the market remained at the mall.

Lindsay Fisk of Owl Wood Farm, photo by Pattie Garrett

That decision proved successful in keeping the market strong, says Mark Bascom, co-owner of Owl Wood Farm and president of the market association’s board. “It wouldn’t have been possible without our dedicated customers who have kept on supporting us through our transitions.”

Now, with a new outdoor season approaching, the market is unsure where its summer home will be.

Bascom said a survey of vendors shows they are split between moving back to the park or remaining at the mall. The market board plans to survey customers, as well.

The mall’s outdoor parking lots are spacious, which creates space for many vendors to operate with appropriate distances between them. Creating that kind of space at and around High Rock Park would require some reconfiguring, says market manager Emily Meagher. Still, to many vendors and shoppers, High Rock is home.

Overall, farmers’ markets nationally have had an increase in business throughout the pandemic, according to retail analysts. This increase has been somewhat true for the Saratoga Farmers’ Market, as well.

“During the first few months of the pandemic, when farmers’ markets seemed to be one of the only trusted places to shop, business was really booming for our food vendors,” says Meagher. “That was due in large part to being outside.”

“When we moved back indoors, our market tapered down,” she added. “That’s to be expected. A lot of our customers just don’t feel comfortable shopping indoors right now.”

Madison Jackson organizes Local Line orders, photo by Pattie Garrett

The market has responded to that discomfort by establishing an online pre-ordering service. Online shoppers may view offerings from 9 p.m. Monday through 9 p.m. Thursday and place orders for a large variety of goods. Market staff gather the items from vendors and package them for customers to pick up at a site just outside the market.

Some vendors also have chosen to cease attending because of safety concerns. However, newer vendors have joined and are energizing the market as “customers catch on to their presence and the high-quality products they offer,” Meagher says.

Nettle Meadow & Ballston Lake Apiaries, photo by Pattie Garrett

Other vendors are learning to adjust to changing conditions. Beth Trattel of Something’s Brewing used to draw much of her business from sales of hot and cold beverages sold on the spot. Those sales have fallen as customers have begun visiting the market more to shop and less to hang out. However, Trattel has seen more robust sales of her fresh-roasted coffee beans that customers take home to make. This shift also has been real for some prepared food vendors. Giovanni Fresco, for instance, offers take-home meals as well as fresh pasta.

Bascom said warmer weather might allow the market to move outdoors earlier than usual, which would help ease safety concerns. “Farmers markets always are changing,” he says. “That keeps things interesting for the customer. But overall, we are glad that they are viewed as an integral part of the food system.”

Filed Under: Featured Article, homepage feature, News Tagged With: coronavirus, COVID-19, curbside pickup, High Rock Park, online preordering, pandemic, summer 2021, Wilton Mall

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Get ready to mushroom into a world of flavor at th Get ready to mushroom into a world of flavor at the Saratoga Farmers' Market! 🍄🌱 This week, we're thrilled to highlight the Mushroom Shop and their incredible selection of locally grown and harvested mushrooms. We spoke with owner's Jacob and Elysee to learn more.

Q: What are some of the health benefits associated with consuming mushrooms?

A: Mushrooms contain a multitude of medicinal compounds. The mushroom species Cordyceps militaris contains cordycepin, which increases your blood's ability to absorb and transport oxygen, improving exercise performance. Mukitake or Panellus serotinus possesses compounds that have shown in recent studies to improve liver function in people suffering from fatty liver disease. Reishi mushrooms improve immune health, warding off sickness and reducing inflammation. Other medicinal mushrooms include Turkey Tail, Chaga, Agarikon, Maitake, and Lions Mane.

Q: What inspired you to start selling mushrooms at the farmers' market?

A: We initially got our inspiration from a mushroom farm based in Tennessee called Mossy Creek Mushrooms. They have many videos on Youtube covering every aspect of operating a mushroom farm from building and maintaining equipment to harvesting and marketing mushrooms. Jacob has had an interest in growing mushrooms as a hobby for about eight years when he discovered a patch of oyster mushrooms growing in the wild. We got the opportunity to lease land in the beginning of 2021 and shortly after started selling at farmers’ markets.

Q: How do you recommend customers prepare and cook the mushrooms they purchase from you?

A: At our farmers markets we always provide printed recipes that utilize the mushrooms available during the current season. Like meat, mushrooms can be cooked in a variety of ways, such as sautéing, roasting, and grilling to create a flavorful dish. One of our recent favorites is a Spicy Crispy Lion's Mane Sandwich- a thick slab of Lion's Mane mushroom battered and fried on a toasted bun with spicy mayo and pickles. This is a delicious take on a chicken sandwich made entirely of whole, natural produce. 

*Find the Mushroom shop year round at our Saturday markets!*

#saratogafarmersmarket
Get ready for a mouth-watering adventure! 🍴🌍 Get ready for a mouth-watering adventure! 🍴🌍 Join us on Saturday, March 25th from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm at the Saratoga Farmers' Market's International Flavor Fest in the Wilton Mall food court! 🎉 Indulge in frgál cakes, julekaker, burek, curries, samosas, and more, representing cuisines from all around the world! 🌎 There will be live music, family-friendly activities, and food tastings that will take your taste buds on a journey around the globe! 🎶👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Plus, our friends at the World Awareness Children's Museum will be hosting a paper fortune cookie making session for the kiddos! Don't forget to pick up your passport for a chance to win a prize by filling it with stamps from market vendors! Let's celebrate our traditions, history, and community through the language of flavorful food! 😍🍴

 #InternationalFlavorFest #SaratogaFarmersMarket #FoodieAdventure #CommunityConnection
Join us tomorrow for our Saturday market! From 9:3 Join us tomorrow for our Saturday market! From 9:30-1:30 you can find all your favorite vendors in the Wilton Mall Food court. We’ll by joined by the Academy of Life Long Learning, AIM Services, and musician Lee Paquin. Hope you can make it!!!

Photos of: @squash.villa.farm , KOKINDA Farm, and @eurodelicaciesco by Graciela Colston

#saratogafarmersmarket #saratogasprings #farmersmarket #agriculture #shoplocal
The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is seeking donation The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is seeking donations to help improve our market and keep our nonprofit organization running. Your donation will be used for essential functions of the market as well as helping us reach more of our long-term goals for the community. We are looking for additional resources to expand our community offerings such as hosting family friendly events, programs and activities.

You can help us by donating via our GiveButter account (link in bio) or in person at the market via our market manager. Thank you for your ongoing support. We couldn’t do it without you! 

#saratogafarmersmarket #supportlocalfarmers #nonprofit #communitylove #givebutter

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