Enthusiastic Shoppers Dodge Raindrops––

Sandy Hook Farmers Market Sells Out Early

By Dottie Evans

Tuesdays are the days to shop, and the St John’s parking lot off Route 34 Berkshire Road is the place to be. By all accounts, the town’s first-ever all-organic farmers market was a great success and the good news is, most crops are still ripening and the vendors will have much more to sell as the weeks go by.

The market, which runs from 9 am to 1 pm, will continue to take place every Tuesday from now until October 21.

“We’ll have more vendors as we go along. Two farmers from Washington weren’t able to make it today because they suffered rain damage from the storm last night. They’ll be here next week,” said Mary Fellows of The Little Green Barn, who has led the way in organizing the Sandy Hook open-air market.

By 9:05 am families with strollers were beginning to arrive, spreading out across the meadow behind the church parking lot. The vendors’ white tents looked cheerful and inviting against a hillside of wildflowers.

Market organizers had set up tables and chairs with umbrellas to shield people from the sun (or the rain!) and the tables were strategically placed nearby City Coffee Cake of Sandy Hook, where freshly made poppy seed muffins and coffee rolls were set out in front of the big coffee thermoses.

“The raspberries sure don’t like this humidity,” remarked farmer Guy Beardsley of Guy’s Eco Garden in Shelton, as he and his wife Pat picked over the berries.

They had harvested the raspberries the afternoon before, and were removing any they suspected of mold.

“Never refrigerate raspberries. It just makes them damp and mushy,” Mr Beardsley said.

Sue and Jim Shortt of Shortt’s Farm in Sandy Hook were offering a full array of summer squash and zucchini, lettuce, some magnificent basil, vitamin greens, and, of course, fresh eggs from the Shortts’ 100 chickens.

They also had a few jars of honey, just harvested from Jim’s hive the day earlier.

A consignment table, which will feature different products each week, was loaded down with fragrant natural soaps, and Bruce Moulthrop of St John’s Church sat nearby ready to help wherever necessary, while also taking the opportunity sell the St John’s Church cookbooks.

Ponies from Meadowbrook Farm arrived at noon, and entertainment for the children was ongoing, as a gaily dressed, top-hatted clown led a line around the field like the Pied Piper.

“We’re so glad this is here,” said Dave Doherty who, along with his wife Sheila, is a teacher.

The Dohertys plan to bring their little boys, Bryce and Mitchell, back every Tuesday and they are looking forward to whatever new products the farmers will be selling.

For anyone who loves summer fruits and vegetables picked fresh right out of the garden, and who would rather avoid sprays or preservatives, next Tuesday morning cannot come too soon.