Folks might imagine that farmers and farmers market lie dormant over the Winter and early cold months of the year. While it is true that there is little growing in the ground, believe me, the work never stops.
The farmers have been sowing seeds in their toasty greenhouses, encouraging delicate young plants to grow strong roots. The seeds are a result of the hours and hours spent poring over the catalogs; should we try a new variety of tomato? Will people buy turmeric? Can my land support ginger root?
Meanwhile, the farmers markets have been meeting and planning during the cold hiatus, figuring out what worked, what didn’t, what to change, who to move, what to pay, what to charge, who to recruit, how big to expand?
It is a tremendous amount of work, truth be told. But it all comes to fruition once the vendor list is finalized and the approach of Opening Day is measured in days. For our market, the warm and wonderful Copake Hillsdale Farmers Market, there are less than 18 days before the ringing of the bell at 9:00AM on Saturday May 27.
Join us! It is going to be an amazing season.
