Warrensburgh Riverfront Farmers’ Market opens for its 18th season

Before the locavore movement became a “thing,” the Warrensburgh Riverfront Farmers’ Market has been filling the demand for locally produced products. This Friday, May 27, the Market re-opens for its 18th season at its picturesque location in Warrensburg’s Historic Mill District on the banks of the Schroon River. Market shoppers will find organic produce, hormone and antibiotic-free meats and poultry, live plants, cut flowers, locally produced cheeses, honey, baked goods, craft beverages, maple products, home-baked doggie treats and natural soaps and lotions.  The Market is open every Friday, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Memorial Day weekend through Columbus Day.

Live music, free samples and recipes are all part of the festive atmosphere each Friday throughout the season at the producer-only market. Monthly festivals focus on specific products. The food festivals include samples, growing tips, recipes and recipe contests centered on the featured products. New to the 2016 line-up is a Craft Beverage Festival.

Warrensburg Riverfront Farmers’ Market 2016 festival schedule:

• June 3 — Rhubarb Festival
• July 1 — Southern Adirondack Craft Beverage Festival
• July 15 — Adirondack Riverfront Arts
• August 19 — Bountiful Harvest
• September 16 — Apple Festival
• October 7 — Garlic Festival

This early in the growing season, available produce is generally limited to fresh greens and other spring crops. If you are planning your own garden, you may find hardy herbs and vegetable plants ready for your plot. If you have perennials to share, return to the riverfront park Saturday, May 28, for Warrensburgh Beautification’s annual Green Thumb Perennial Swap. Bring your plants of any size to trade for perennials of equal value. Cornell Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners will be on hand with advice. Bring your garden soil for a PH test. Non-GMO vegetable seeds will be available.

Getting there:

The Warrensburgh Riverfront Farmers’ Market is an outdoor market on River Street (County Route 418) in Warrensburg, New York. From the South, enter the town of Warrensburg on State Route 9 by crossing the bridge over the Schroon River. At the second traffic light (by the Warrensburg Health Center building) turn left onto Richards Avenue. Cross the bridge (yes, it is the same river you just crossed — the Schroon twists through town) and turn right. The market is one-half mile on your right, across from Curtis Lumber.