Successful Farmers Market Will Return Next Spring

The Port Jefferson Village Economic Development Council launched the this year with the hopes of bringing locally grown produce and artisan food items to the village, attracting residents and shoppers to the downtown business district on Sunday mornings. By all accounts that goal was attained.

"I think the Farmers Market was a huge success," said Mayor Garant. "A real win-win for our residents and the farmers."

In fact, the market became a weekly ritual for her, which spoke to its success.

"It created a true community feeling on Sunday mornings," Mayor Garant said. "Getting a chance to see your neighbors and the prices and produce, cheeses, wine, flowers and cookies were part of my weekend regular routine."

Paul Dlug, a Port Jefferson resident and member of the Economic Development Council, said that the market exceeeded the expectations of its founders.

"It has been an even greater success than we hoped," said Dlug. "We're really happy."

It's not only Village residents who have come out to support the market.

"We've seen tremendous support from residents of Port Jefferson and surrounding towns as well as the business community," he said.

Any project of this type can't be expected to go off without a hitch and the farmers market was no exception. Getting that first commitment didn't come easy.

"We didn't know what to expect," Dlug said one Sunday walking around the market. "At first we had trouble attracting a farmer."

Then Stan Pat Farms, a 40-acre farm located in East Moriches, came in and agreed to partner up with the Port Jefferson Farmers Market.

"They were the first to sign up," said Dlug. "They were our anchor farm and helped us go get other vendors."

Once Stan Pat Farms saw what the Economic Development Council was doing they had no reservations.

"We looked at it and said this is going to work," said Frank Sciarratta of Stan Pat Farms.

Since they signed up Stan Pat Farms has had the same spot every Sunday throughout the season.

Now all types of farmers can be found at the market, including a bee farmer.

Mickely Valentine said that he has bee farms all over Long Island. His table of honey products was especially attractive because of his glass-encased beehive, with hundreds of real bees inside. A master beekeeper for 55 years Valentine gave out little facts to kids and adults who were drawn to the table like, well, bees to honey.

"Thirty-five percent of fruit production benefits from the services of bees," he said. "And bees travel two times the distance around the world and visit 10,000 flowers to make one pound of honey."

Busy as a bee indeed. The farmers market was educational but other vendors were just downright decadent.

Donna McKeown, a Port Jefferson resident and cookie maker had a cookie called "The Junkie" available. The cookie that she makes from her home-based business, D.K. Cookie Company, is filled with pretzels, potato chips, bittersweet chocolate, coffee and marshmallows.

For something completely different, Michele's Goji Berry Granola sold half a case of gluten free, soy free, vegan, organic granola in one day. Michele Romeo said that she liked the idea of the Village putting on the Farmers Market.

"It's nice for the Village to support local companies," she said.

Dlug said that the feedback from vendors has been positive.

"They tell us that they do as well as or better here than the West Hampton Farmers Market," he said. "The pickle vendor cancelled other markets to come back here it was so successful."

People enjoyed the market so much that many requested to extend it into November. Dlug said that the last weekend for the market is this Sunday.

"Going later into November doesn't seem possible as the weather is getting less favorable," he said. "It's already the end of the season for many of our vendors."

Even if it's ending for the year, the future of the Port Jefferson Farmers Market seems secure.

"Right now we plan to start up again the first week in June, 2011 though a mid-May start is also being considered," Dlug said. "We'll be setting up some planning sessions and a call for volunteers in the spring."

Mayor Garant said that there is no question that the farmers market will return.

"Without a doubt," she said.

Sciarratta from Stan Pat Farms said the Port Jefferson Farmers Market was so good for them that they already promised to be back.

"It's been an excellent season," he said. "Our spot is secured for next year."

Now that the market has been test run and deemed a success, Mayor Garant wants to see if they can capitalize on that success for all of the downtown businesses.

"We are working now on how to leverage the fact that people came to the market on a Sunday morning," she said. "Now we want to see if we can come up with initiatives to keep them shopping locally or have brunch while downtown."