The Saugerties Farmers’ Market opened on Saturday, May 29, to a cold drizzle. While not up to its usual spring crowds, a surprising number of customers did brave the cold, damp weather to buy the fresh vegetables, fruit, baked goods, breakfast snacks and wines offered. Two new products, hemp extract and tacos, were added to the lineup. The hemp product, cannabidiol (CBD) is not marijuana, but medicinal hemp.
The market also has a new manager, Jackie Wood, who said she has been working in agriculture since 2013, when she worked on her cousin’s farm in Delaware County. “I’ve done most of my farming in hops,” she said. This led to farmers’ market work and agriculture-based events. She is new to the Hudson Valley, having moved here last year.
This is the market’s 20th year, and “we’ll be doing things to honor that history,” Wood said.
The Saugerties Farmers’ Market, like many businesses, is requesting that customers, even those who have been fully vaccinated, wear masks. The village parking lot, on which the market is set up each Saturday during the summer, is marked with circles to indicate how far apart individuals should stand while waiting to be served.
In general, patrons are cooperative, said Judith Spektor, a market board member, but one customer, noting that the official government position is that masks are not required outdoors, said “how dare we,” and he would not come to the market. “I responded, that we’re trying to keep everyone safe, but if you don’t wear a mask, you’re welcome to come to the market.”
Safety considerations have also, for the second year in a row, eliminated the usual ribbon cutting at the market opening, with local political figures joining in.
Chris Arquiett, who has more than 20 years experience as a chef, opened his taqueria, “Twisted Taco by Brave the Flame” at the market this year. He was formerly the chef and operator of Black-eye Grill and Curran’s, both in Centerville and Hunter, then had a job as executive chef at Windham Mountain Resort. “We’re very happy to be here.”
Kyle Dodge, who sells meat from Gulden Farm in Germantown, said that despite the cold rain, he had sold to several customers during the morning and it seemed that the rain might stop, “though it’s not going to get warm.”
A popular vendor on a cold, drizzly day, Mike Trojanowski of Rough House Roasters, sold hot coffee at his market stall. While the hot, brewed coffee was a hit, his main product was the ground coffee for customers to take home. “By the bag, or hot or cold,” he said. But because the possibility that his packaged coffee could get wet, which would cause the ink to run, Trojanowski said he could not put it out for display.
Bradford Beckerman, the founder and CEO of Hennepen’s, also braved the rain to attend the market’s opening day. He explained their product: “There’s a difference between cannabis made in a lab; ours is grown.” The product is extract of the marijuana plant, but is not marijuana itself, he explained. The active ingredient cannabidiol (CBD) is not cannabis, though it is derived from hemp plants. “Everything is grown in Colorado, put together there, shipped here and packaged here,” Beckerman said. The company’s website states that CBD does not produce a “high” the way THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, does.
While the rain slowed things down, shoppers did turn up, and several vendors said they had sold enough to make coming to the market worthwhile. As the season goes on, expect regular entertainment, special days for kids and, of course, fresh food from local farmers.
The Saugerties Farmers’ Market is held on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 115 Main Street.
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