Organic Farmers’ Market Opens June 24

The Sandy Hook Organic Farmers’ Market will open for the sixth year Tuesday, June 24. Located above the parking lot in the grassy area behind St John’s Episcopal Church and the Villa on Washington Avenue, at the intersection of Routes 34 and 6, the Organic Farmers’ Market offers a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as baked goods, jams, and handcrafted items.

This year the Sandy Hook Organic Farmers’ Market will offer weekly activities for children, as well as monthly lectures and cooking demonstrations.

Many of the yearly favorites will be among those vendors setting up this summer at the farmers’ market each Tuesday afternoon, said marketmaster Mary Fellows, among them Shortt’s Garden Center, Walding Field, Mamie’s of Roxbury, and Jan Perkins of Stoneledge Hollow Farm. New this year are Meadow Brook Farm from Newtown and Dream Come True Farm in Oxford.

Ms Fellows is very excited that Ken Kellogg of New Milford will be at opening day to share his expertise on setting up a home eggery. Mr Kellogg will discuss how to set up a chicken coop, and have on hand designs for a variety of chicken coops that people can easily build. “Chickens are the new dog,” declared Ms Fellows. “Everyone has them now.”

On July 1, the Sandy Hook Organic Farmers’ Market will host the Connecticut Etsy team, a group of Connecticut artisans featuring all kinds of handcrafted arts such as jewelry, ready-to-wear items, and original paintings. The Sandy Hook market is one of only five farmers’ markets in the state that the Etsy organization, an offshoot of the online handmade buying and selling showcase etsy.com, is selling at this summer.

Shoppers with children can look for weekly hayrides for the kids, said Ms Fellows, and activities that include panning for stones and hair braiding.

Where there is food, there are foodies, and local food enthusiasts will appreciate the Department of Agriculture lectures and cooking classes held during market hours this summer. From green cleaning to canning the healthy produce selected at the market to creating a home garden, the classes will encompass a variety of interests, Ms Fellows said.

The Sandy Hook Organic Farmers’ Market is open every Tuesday from now until mid-October, from 2 pm to 6 pm, with plenty of free parking behind the church and the Villa. For more information call 313-9908.