Gusts of wind interrupted the sunny day, causing merchants and guests at the Farmers Market at Fairfield Hills to grab for tent posts. Temporarily knocked askew were the awnings casting shade over fresh produce from area farms, and other goods offered by local merchants and crafters.

Lending a hand as the wind — great for residents across the field who were flying kites — threatened to blow goods off table tops, was Market Master Mary Fellows, enjoying the opening day Tuesday, June 24. The market will run from 2 to 6 pm Tuesdays at Fairfield Hills through October, offering organic and Connecticut grown produce, plants, baked goods, local crafts and services, music, and more. The market is in its 25th year.

As the Sprung and Wylie Folk, Bluegrass & Traditional Music musicians played, guests and vendors talked about lettuce, terrariums, fresh cucumbers, pesto sauce, herbal and all natural skin treatments, educational games for children, bicycle repair, and many other close-to-home goods or services.

Sara Blersch’s booth was decorated with hanging flower baskets displayed over tables of produce from her family’s farm, Daffodil Growers at Woodside Farm, Southbury. She said, “We had awesome greenhouse tomatoes, but they’re gone.” She suspected that as shoppers purchased fresh mozzarella and pesto from Beldotti Bakeries of Stamford, they picked up tomatoes to go with it from her booth.

“I brought 40 pints; I thought that was enough,” She said.

With jars full of treats on display, Stephanie Schneiderman, Sandy Hook-based Biscotti etc, LLC owner, and her assistant Jessie Plouffe sold the deserts.

Five-year-old Jesse Shortt, Sue and Jim Shortt’s “farm boy,” as his mother calls him, helped with the lettuce display. Ms Shortt said, “It’s good this year, with a lot of new vendors.”

Terrance Ford’s sons Aidan and PJ and their friend Jack Vaughan stood with the many bicycles displayed Tuesday at Mr Ford’s booth for Sandy Hook Cyclery, aka, The Bike Barn. The Sandy Hook shop on Glen Road across from The Villa sells used bikes and offers service and good advice. Visit SandyHookCyclery.com.

Kim Charles of Cider Mill Design out of Sandy Hook displayed various terrariums and small container gardens as examples of some of the things she can do for people in their own spaces.

Seated beside a kiddy pool filled with sand where gems were buried were friends Cleo Conk and Cameron Gerrity.

“Kids dig them out and we teach them about what they’ve got,” said Cleo.

Alexandria Leigh said she “had a blast mixing up chemical-free alternatives” to products such as astringents for use on the skin. She grows her herbs and plants in an all-organic medicinal garden in Easton. On the table in small bottles was witch hazel infused with lemon peal, lavender, and other herbs and nourishing plants, she said.

The farmers market is open weekly on Tuesdays from 2 to 6 pm in Fairfield Hills just beyond the main entrance.