Bethel Farmers’ Market Opens Saturday—

Beef Is Back, Also Early Vegetables, Flowers, Baked Goods

By Dottie Evans

Linda Hufner of Cedar Hill Farm will be starting her 23rd year at the Bethel Farmers’ Market this Saturday and she is looking forward to seeing the returning vendors as well as new and old customers.

“But I hope people realize that, this year, the timeline has been pushed back a bit,” Mrs Hufner noted.

A very wet, cold spring has meant delayed crops for most farmers throughout the state, including those ten or so vendors who are returning to the Bethel Farmers’ Market at 67 Stony Hill Road.

The farmers hail from Newtown, Brookfield, New Milford, Roxbury, Ridgefield, Middlebury, and Danbury, and most everyone who attended last summer is returning, including the New Milford couple that sells prime beef and ribs that are flash frozen.

The Bronsons from Roxbury will be bringing in the fresh eggs, and the Hufners of Cedar Hill Farm will harvest and sell their lettuce, broccoli, arugula, and cilantro from their Brushy Hill Road farm.

There will be two bakers this year and the good news is, bakers can turn out the pies, bread, and cookies despite a cold, wet spring.

“The only ones I know won’t be coming are the Deslinskis from Ridgefield because they have retired,” Mrs Hufner said.

“Needless to say, we’ll have to wait a few more weeks for the local corn and tomatoes,” she added.

The market will be open every Saturday morning from July 12 through October.