Big Turnout at Schoharie County Farmers Market Opening Day

SCHOHARIE COUNTY — A much anticipated new tradition in Schoharie County got off to a rousing start over the Memorial Day weekend.

Despite the rain, hundreds flocked to the opening day of the Schoharie County Farmers Market at the Cobleskill Fairgrounds on Sunday, May 24. It will continue every Sunday at the Fairgrounds from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. through the last day of the market on Oct. 11.

A lot to like, said Farmers Market Board President Naomi Pickett, owner of the Rooted Acres LLC Community Supported Agriculture business in Lawyersville that is one of many vendors at the market. She was busy selling her CSA's product Sunday with help from her husband Tristan Peterson and her daughter Avery.

"Since we opened at 10 and started selling, it's been a really steady stream of people," said Pickett. "We already sold out a lot of our products in the first couple of hours. Being that it's raining outside, it's opening day and it's a holiday weekend, this is great traffic for our first day."

She added that rain should not be all that much of a factor in affecting attendance at the market since it will be held inside various buildings at the Fairgrounds every Sunday. Opening day was held inside the Hall of Agriculture.

Sunday's first day and its success was the result of a lot of hard work by Pickett and her fellow board members, Schoharie County Agricultural Development Specialist Caroline Myran and others in her office, county Supervisors including Agricultural Committee Chair Alicia Terry of Gilboa, and many others.

While there was already various farmers markets in towns around the county, an actual county farmers market fills a need that definitely needed filling, Pickett said.

"This market has been a project that's been about two years in the making," she noted. "A local farmer had approached Caroline's office and said we really need a bigger destination farmers market. There was definitely a need for a larger market with more vendors. Farmers markets in this area are huge for economic development."

Bill Parker Jr., the owner along with Bill Potak of Rev Spirits in Jefferson that distills spirits from honey, was also enjoying opening day from the Rev Spirits vendor's table.

"I think it's a great idea, something that brings people together and shows the products and what things we do in Schoharie County," Parker said. "Everybody has kind of their own identity and this, especially being at the Fairgrounds, is a good identity for the county, to provide a place to come on Sunday mornings, and shop and meet other people."

A visitor on opening day, Gail Moyer, said she will likely come to the market every Sunday from her home in Sprakers in Montgomery County.

"I like to shop local and I like to have American made things," she said. "I like fresh produce and organic meat. I'm going to buy meat from Mulligan Creek and I just bought chocolate from a guy. It's all good. I'm all about farmers and I like to support local farmers. I think it's a good thing for people to work for what they want and produce good stuff."

Full-time vendors at the Schoharie County Farmers Market include: Adirondack Knife Works; Hidden Pond Garden; Horton Hill Farm; House of Becker; Mulligan Creek Acres; New Scotland Spirits; Rev Spirits; Rooted Acres; Trailhead Food Truck; Uplands Farm and Garden; Vampire Garlic.

Part-time vendors include: Austintacious; Biscuitwood Farm; Bread, too!; Craftteapapermum; Harpersfield Cheese; Leavened NY; Mushrooms to the Rescue; Oops-a-Daisy Farm; Parsons Vegetable Farm; Redhook Dreams; Sass Squash Food Truck; Schoharie Tripoint; Slate Hill Lavender Farm; Sunny Valley Farm.