Tuesday Morning At The Farmers’ Market

By Kaaren Valenta

Prudens Purple, Black from Tula, Big Rainbow, Striped German.

The varieties of heirloom seem endless. More than 58 varieties –– including tiny yellow Sungold’s Mixed –– are grown by farmers like Quincy Horan at Waldingfield Farm in Washington, Conn., and many are trucked to the farmers’ market in Sandy Hook on Tuesday mornings.

From local growers like Shortt’s Farm and Garden Center in Sandy Hook to those like Fort Hill Farm in New Milford, organic farms are well represented, bringing potatoes, tomatoes, beets, squash, corn, eggplant, scallions, celery, garlic, cucumbers, flowers, honey, wine, and other Connecticut-grown products.

The market is on the hill behind St John’s Episcopal Church whose congregation sells organic baked goods, yogurt parfaits, and inventive salads such as organic watermelon with red onion, mint, and raspberry dressing, or mixed greens with apples, walnuts, and fresh organic blue cheese with balsamic vinaigrette.

The market operates from 9 am to 1 pm each Tuesday. There are new times for the pony rides, which are now operating from 10 am to noon, and there is now one performance of Yuri, Prince of Color, from 10:30 to 11:30 am.

Parking is free behind St John’s Church.