Season opens Mother’s Day weekend, Saturday, May 13
On Saturday May 13, Cazenovia farmers and artisans will return to Cannon Park on Albany Street to kick off the market’s 20th season.
The market, which was started in 1997 by the newly formed Cazenovia Chamber of Commerce, didn’t launch without controversy. It supplanted a small informal farmers market that took place on Thursdays and Saturdays at Atwell Mills. Not everyone agreed that a downtown market was needed.
The community’s interest in a downtown market was identified through a 1996 survey of households in the Cazenovia Central School District. Seventy-eight percent of residents said they would shop weekly at the market.
Long time Cazenovia resident Ralph Monforte, who chaired the GCACC Economic Development Committee responsible for launching the market, said at the time, “We’re not trying to create anything which isn’t being asked for. A more visible, centrally located farmers market would seem to draw a better response from local customers based on the survey.”
While under the auspices of the Chamber, the market was independently run by Andy Shephard from 1997 until 2014. At that time, the Chamber decided to reestablish a closer relationship to the event and recruited Aileen Randolph to manage recruitment and marketing, while the GCACC manages the finances.
“The businesses represented at the Cazenovia Market are owned by a great group of people,” Randolph said. “I think the enthusiasm of these good locals and their passion for what they do is part of the appeal of the market.”
Changes at the market this summer are relatively minor, Randolph said. The hours have been simplified and are now 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Almost all of last year’s vendors are returning, and more space is being held open to accommodate room for shoppers to mingle and for community groups to reach out to local citizens.
As always, there will be a large variety of products for shoppers to choose from this year, including Farm-fresh eggs, grass-fed and pasture-raised meats, award winning soft and hard cheeses, butter, crème fraiche, jam, spices, honey and maple syrup, vegetables and a wide variety of fruit. Locally roasted coffee, artisanal breads, pies and other sweets — some even gluten free — will also be available.
New to the market this year will be Trimona yogurt at the Kriemhild Dairy Farms tent and spirits by Old Home Distillers.
“Cazenovia is passionate about its scenic views and agricultural heritage. Our Good Local farmers are sustainably farming more than 2,500 acres in Central New York to bring tasty, healthy food to the market,” Randolph said. “The best way to preserve farm land and support your community is to eat good and local.”
A full list of sellers is available online at cazenoviachamber.com.
