The Saratoga Farmers Market - "Mall Wart" Super Center It's Not (And That's A Swell Thing)
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Fresh produce. No...really fresh produce. From asparagus to poc choi, the Saratoga Farmers Market has it all.
Baked goods, fresh herbs, fruits, vegetables, beef, pork, poultry, eggs, wine, flowers, jams, jellies, natural soaps and stoneware are just some of the wonderful items to be purchased here. Why would you want to shop anywhere else? And best of all, all of the products are locally grown or hand-crafted; quality and value over the misguided "Big Box" mentality of "always the lowest price." What a great place to stop on your way home from work for some salad "fixins'". You can even have your scissors sharpened by Mister Edge Sharpening in his mobile facility. Add to that a little live music by Bob Zinc's acoustic quartet, Best Of Bluegrass, to help you relax and you may have found a little bit of heaven. A little melodramatic on my part maybe but, doesn't it make sense to support the local small businesses and farmers as well as your local economy? Can you really put a price tag on organically grown food? Do we really need another C-average president? There I go on another rant. Leave it to me to make the Farmer's Market into a political statement but, I think when you put a pencil to the benefits of buying locally grown products versus the unknown economic, environmental and unhealthy ill-effects of those items imported from "XYZ".....well, let's just say, the Saratoga Farmers Market, and any local farmer's market for that matter, wins the debate hands down. (Of course, that's just my opinion; I could be wrong - but I don't think so.)
Located on High Rock Avenue (High Rock Park), a short distance from Broadway, Lake Avenue and down the hill from the City Center, the Saratoga Farmers Market's beautiful open-air facility has a slow-paced laid-back atmosphere. My visit there last week was very enjoyable. Cookies, coffee and other food and munchies were available to enhance the experience and make your shopping more pleasurable. Most of the food vendors offer free samples. There is plenty of parking on the street as well as a large parking lot a short distance away. I didn't see a problem if you wanted to pull your car to the curb and quickly load up if you bought more than you could carry.
The family atmosphere was also quite prevalent and some well-behaved children accompanied their parents. The patrons as well as the vendors all seemed to be in an elevated mood which I will attribute to the lovely surroundings. The market also appeared to be a meeting place for some of the locals as various were spotted conversing pleasantly with others. Bringing your dog along on his leash didn't appear to bother anyone.
Mary Jane Pelzer, the "Winter Market Manager" and proprietor of Saratoga Suds had a funky (did I just say "funky"?) display of homemade soaps. I declare her the winner of my personal category of "Best Smelling Booth". Her protégé, Janice Burns of Wilton, did a superb job of explaining the many varieties. A few steps down the line and a taste of Pinot Noir from Mr. Cameron at Colebrook Country Wines booth might strike your fancy. If not, he also has Cherry, Peach, Apple and Red Currant. Gift baskets are available. He hails from Gansevoort; the little town with the big name. Jessica Williams, a/k/a The Shady Lady, (she also does custom window treatments) can set you up with some "Monkey Boy" all natural banana "stick-to-the-roof-of-your-mouth" peanut butter from the Saratoga Peanut Butter Company. Her product is gluten free and contains no hydrogenated oils or trans fats and comes in several other flavors.
Around the corner and you can procure some Angus beef from M & A Farms out of Fort Edward. You won't find any anti-biotics or growth hormones in their product as the animals are farm fed. Their farm has been in operation for over 200 years and they also have fresh eggs, pork and poultry. Big Richard Sandora of the Northeast Corner Herb Farm in Fort Ann was doing a fine job of promoting his gourmet sauces, vinegars, seasonings, dip mixes, fresh herbs, gift baskets and more. His good humor was infectious and after several showers and a trip to my doctor I haven't been able to get rid of it (of course I mean that in a nice way). He and his wife Penny ship their wares anywhere in the Continental United States.
Flowers, flowers, flowers........the selection is huge. Oligny's, Dyer's and several other flower purveyors provide yet another reason to make the Saratoga Farmers Market a twice-weekly event. Effie's Baked Goods offered up plenty of bagels and cookies as well as a wide variety of what the name implies. And don't forget fresh strawberries from Foster Farm while they are still in season. All in all, I found the Saratoga Farmer's Market a pleasant experience. The selection is so large that I could not possibly name every vendor and product available. You will just have to see for yourself. The outdoor Market is open every Wednesday from 3 to 5pm and Saturdays 9am to 1pm, May through October. Inclement weather is not a major problem as most of the venue is under cover.
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