NEWS
WINDHAM FARMERS MARKET DESTINATION WORTHY - From Early Spring Thru Deep Summer to Late Autumn
Windham Farmers Market offers shady sitting and sunny strolls along vendor row which includes Catskill Mountain Woodworking, Bantam Bakery, OSO Good Farms and Platte Clove Naturals among several others. The season runs every Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., rain or shine, from late May through the last weekend in October, with live music, located at 5399 Main Street in Windham, across from Windham Local Cafe and adjacent to Windham-Ashland-Jewett school. Pets are welcome.
Mossy Stone Farm husbandman Tyler Huff (above) is a co-founder of the market along with David Liatti, proprietor of the Windham Local Cafe, the original site, on the west end of Windham. “We started with one tent, seven years ago. We knew it had potential,” says Huff, whose farm is along Route 10, on the border between the towns of Prattsville and Ashland. “We now have close to 15 vendors,” needing to move across the street to the lawn of Gem Mercantile, another business owned by Liatti offering clothing, accessories, footwear, gifts and essentials for outdoor activities. The market is co-managed by Carolyn Maccaro and Huff. “For people it’s all about home, work and the third place is cafes and farmers markets,” Huff says. “We have become destination worthy, another reason to come to downtown Windham,” Liatti says.
Free samples are readily provided at Hotz N’ Notz, based in Stamford, featuring homemade pickles. “Some are spicy, some are not, thus the name,” says pickle maker Michele Lombardi, smiling. “The brine makes all the difference,” working with a hybrid dill.
The shelves were well-stocked when the day began but empty long before closing time at Leavened Artisan Sourdough. No worries. “We’ll be back next weekend,” says Danielle Medgyesi, a helpful friend and neighbor of the baker, Brian Wieff, based in Gilboa. “He’s incredible,” says Medgyesi, noting 70 loaves of bread were sold, such as kamut and sesame, whole wheat spelt, olive & herb, baguettes and scones.
Stinging Nettle Botanicals co-owners Patricia and Charles Argoff travel up the mountain from Catskill to share their homemade, organic products. “Our insect repellant sells like crazy,” Patricia says, as does a poison ivy remedy, entirely plant and herb-based.