The Saratoga Farmers’ Market Association recently reached an agreement with New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation to hold its Saturday morning market at the Saratoga Spa State Park during the winter season.
Beginning November 2nd, the Saratoga Farmers Market will be held at the Lincoln Baths, an historic building off South Broadway.
Charles Holub, President of the Saratoga Farmers’ Market Association, said that the 7,000 square foot space will allow more vendors and easy access and parking off the Adirondack Northway. The market’s previous winter location was at the Division Street Elementary School, also in Saratoga Springs.
"It's bigger than we had before, it will allow us to have more local products in the market, the access and parking is better," said Holub. "It's just an elegant, nice facility for us."
The Lincoln Baths is also the year-round home of the Spa City Market, a farmers market formed this spring. The Spa City Market is held on Sundays.
Although the match-up was unintentional, Holub said co-location could be a benefit to both markets.
"If it benefits local agriculture we're happy about it," said Holub. "If it's a local venue to support local agriculture, it's a good thing."
Colleen Zorbas of the Spa City Market also believes that having both markets in one location during the winter will work in the farmers’ favor.
"All the customers, people of Saratoga are going to know that the farmers market is in one spot there in the wintertime. I think it's wonderful," said Zorbas.
Pete Emerson, of Saratoga Apple, said he will represent the farm at both markets. Emerson, who sells produce on the campus of Skidmore College on Fridays, said that due to the bountiful apple crop this season, Saratoga Apple will need to take advantage of the local farmers' markets.
"Because this year we have such a high number of apples, we really need to make sure we have enought markets to sell all of our apples to," said Emerson. "This is one way, one very essential way to sell all our apples."
The Saratoga Farmers’ Market Association requires all goods sold at its markets to be produced or grown in Saratoga, Schenectady, Rensselaer, or Washington Counties.
New York is one of the top states in the country for its amount of farmers markets. According to the Farmers Market Coalition, and a 2011 Economic Research Service report, fruit and vegetable farms that sell produce locally employ 13 fulltime workers to $1 million revenue sold, compared with farms that do not sell local employing three fulltime workers per million.
For more information:
http://www.saratogafarmersmarket.org/
http://spacitymarket.com/
