Troy Farmers Market 20th Season Starts Outdoors May 4
For Immediate Release
Contact: Duncan Crary (518) 274-2723
DCC@DuncanCrary.com
TROY WATERFRONT FARMERS MARKET 20th SEASON STARTS OUTDOORS MAY 4
Announcing 15 New Additional Vendors, Expansion to Lower River Street, New Configuration & Parking, Family Programming
TROY, N.Y. (4/25/19) — The Troy Waterfront Farmers Market (TWFM) heads outdoors for its 20th season Saturday, May 4 with added vendors in an expanded area to explore.
“Twenty years ago, the Troy Waterfront Farmers Market started with about two dozen vendors in a parking lot,” said Zack Metzger, president of the Troy Waterfront Farmers Market. “This summer, we will have more than 100 vendors throughout four city blocks in Troy’s beautiful downtown business district. It’s amazing to think about how much this market has grown along with this community to become a premiere regional attraction.”
A flyer produced in 2000 by Troy’s RiverSpark Visitor Center, introduced the Troy Waterfront Farmers Market as a new “producer-only market offering fresh, mostly organic fruits, vegetables, cheeses, and meats, as well as locally handmade craft items.” The flyer continues: “It promises to be the best open-air farmers’ market in the entire region.”
Today, the Troy Waterfront Farmers market routinely receives “Best of” accolades by regional media and in reader polls.
Staying true to its producer-only tradition, the market has added vendors along the way. By its third season, in 2002, the market had grown to 45 vendors and introduced a year-round schedule that continues to this day.
This season, the market is adding 15 new vendors, each carefully selected from among 94 applicants for their ability to enhance the market’s offerings.
New products include: heritage-breed duck and goose; gluten-free Spätzle, a type of German-style noodle made with fresh eggs; Dorper sheep meat and products, known for a mild yet rich flavor; fresh specialty popsicles; and lobster rolls.
(A full list of the new vendors and descriptions is provided at the end of this press release.)
Most of the newly added vendors this summer will be located along the Lower River Street block, extending the market to State Street, complimenting the brick-and-mortar stores there.
“We’re confident the Lower River Street market area is going to be an exciting draw for shoppers looking for something new and unique,” said Metzger. “It’s going to be great for everyone involved because people can find all the new vendors in one place. The merchants along the street are excited to have them there.”
1857 Spirits, makers of handcrafted potato vodka, and Schenectady Distilling Co., makers of whisky, gin and other spirits, will set up near the Hudson Chatham Winery tasting room at 203 River Street, in a deliberate pairing meant to spur mutual business.
The market is also booking musicians to play near two music related stores: The River Street Beat Shop, sellers of vinyl records, cassettes and CDs; and Nine Steps To Africa, sellers of African instruments and other products.
Market organizers will coordinate with both shops to entice music lovers down the block.
“Best news in four years,” said Beat Shop Owner James Barrett of the market’s expansion plans during a recent meeting of merchants and market representatives.
For many years, Barrett and other Lower River Street merchants have wanted the market to extend down to their block and this year the opportunity offered by new vendors allows the market to make that happen.
“I’m super impressed,” said JD Fielding, owner of Mindful Intentions at 193 River St. “This is what everyone on the block has been asking for. This has exceeded our expectations.”
FAMILY PROGRAMMING PROVIDED BY THE YMCA
Troy YMCA will begin a new Healthy Family Zone during market hours on the Riverfront Plaza Staircase on River Street north of Monument Square. The plaza is recognizable for its colorful painted “TROY” logo on the Southern wall.
Programs will focus on healthy activities that children and their families can participate in together.
PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES REPORT, PUBLIC INPUT
Over recent years, the Troy Waterfront Farmers Market has been thinking of how it could evolve in the city of Troy.
In early fall 2018, the market engaged Project for Public Spaces (PPS), an internationally renowned "placemaking" consultant, to lend its expertise and experience in an assessment of the current state of the market and its potential expansion. The PPS team visited Troy for two days in November. While here, PPS held a series of meetings, visited several potential market expansion locations, and facilitated two workshops concerning the market -- one for the public which attracted more than 100 people, and a second for market vendors which drew approximately 50 vendors.
“There is real fear among vendors and the public that changing the TWFM will ruin it,” stated the PPS report, based on comments collected at the public workshop, such as: “We have the best market in the region. Don’t mess it up,” and “Don’t ruin a good thing.”
A few comments complained about congestion, some wanted clearer access to certain storefronts, while many hoped the market will maintain its urban street festival vibe. Taking this input into consideration, the market layout this year will leave slightly more space between vendors.
“A lot of people spoke up during the public workshop and we listened to the community," Metzger said. “We don't plan to mess with success, but we are making some adjustments to our market layout that should give everyone — including the storefronts — a bit more space to enjoy the market, while keeping the street festival vibe that people clearly love.”
PARKING NOTICES
As in previous years, all streets included in the Farmers Market permit area will be posted “No Parking” from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays during the months of May through October.
The market, in partnership with the City of Troy, is raising awareness of free parking facilities at both ends of the market, including: the State Street Parking Garage (at State and River streets); the Uncle Sam Parking Garage and Front Street parking lot (at Front and Third streets); and the Fifth Ave Garage (between State and Broadway).
Though the city of Troy recently installed meters on streets throughout downtown, parking remains free on nights and weekends.
PUBLIC RESTROOMS
Public restrooms are available to marketgoers at the Arts Center of the Capital Region, located at 265 River St.
LOOKING BACK ON 20 YEARS
The Troy Waterfront Farmers Market held is first market on Saturday, May 20, 2000, with 20 vendors in the parking lot between the Hedley Building and Brown’s Brewing Co.
The market was first sponsored by the Regional Farm & Food Project, with support from the city and the Hudson Mohawk Industrial Gateway, which operated Troy's Riverspark Visitors Center at the time.
“At that very first market in May 2000, as we set up to open, we started joking - what if we put in all this work and no one shows up?" said Jennifer Krausnick, who has been involved with the farmers market throughout its 20-year history. “There was still a lot of cynicism from people waiting for the 'Troy Renaissance' in those days. But our fears were immediately alleviated — people showed up and just kept coming.”
In its early years, the market grew from a few hundred to a few thousand visitors on peak days. Now, in its fourth location on River Street and around Monument Square, the market likely tops 10,000 visitors on peak days in the summer and fall.
“Troy's Renaissance is in full swing and we're pulling in residents and visitors from all over the Capital Region. The market has developed a festival-like atmosphere, bringing people to the center of downtown and to the businesses around it,” she said. “At this point, it's really exceeded those early expectations.”
Five of the original vendors are still involved in the market to this day: Bornt Family Farm of Pittstown, in Rensselaer Co.; Saratoga Apple, of Schuylerville in Saratoga Co.; Wells Maple Farm of Nassau in Rensselaer Co., Our Farm of Greenwich, in Washington Co. and Sweet Tree Farm of Carlisle, Schoharie Co.
“I was a baby at the first market,” said Arleigh Johnson, age 21, of Sweet Tree Farm. “I was here in a carrier.” And he has a photo on his cell phone to prove it.
Johnson, who sells grass-fed beef products from his family’s farm booth every Saturday at the market, has a bachelor's degree in agricultural business from SUNY Cobleskill, where he also teaches at the meat lab.
Johnson said his parents Frank Johnson and Judy Pangman started their farm in 1996 with just two cows, named “Mama” and “Baby.” Today, he said, there are more than 280 cattle on their 200-acre farm.
At least 20 percent of his customers come over to the booth just to talk or to tell him to say hello to his parents for them, Johnson said.
Some people want to talk to the farmer who produced their food, Johnson said, but other conscientious customers just want to know their food comes from a good place. Which is why Sweet Tree is expanding into wholesale, and their products can already be found at coops such as Honest Weight Coop in Albany.
This winter, the market announced it is in early talks with developer David Bryce to create a year-round indoor marketplace in the Troy Atrium. There would be between 20 and 25 booths that might be shared by some vendors, or vendors might partner with the market to create a new store. The indoor marketplace would supplement -- not replace -- the outdoor May through October market held in the streets.
ABOUT THE MARKET
The Troy Waterfront Farmers Market is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit business organization.
The market is held outside on River Street and around Monument Square from May through October, then moves inside the Troy Atrium from November through April.
Zack Metzger, proprietor of Laughing Earth farm in Cropseyville, N.Y., began his first term as market president in 2018. Steve Ridler, of Troy, is market manager.
FOR PHOTOS
To download publicity photos of the outdoor farmers market (credit: Mark Bauman), visit the following Dropbox link:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/axlyzoq3oijo84g/AADe9YFC4Cn7Fi73qCuS-v6Qa?dl=0
CONTACT: Duncan Crary (518) 274-2723 DCC@DuncanCrary.com
NEW VENDORS, MAY 2019
(For complete list of Troy Waterfront Farmers’ Market Vendors, visit: https://www.troymarket.org/vendors )
Bonitcou Ducks LLC
High Falls, N.Y.
Heritage poultry & meats in a natural environment
https://www.facebook.com/bonticouducks/
Moxie Ridge Farm & Creamery
Fort Edward, N.Y.
Milking goats, laying hens, meat chickens, and pigs
https://www.moxieridgefarm.com
Two Rock Ranch
Berne, N.Y.
White Dorper sheep
https://www.tworock.rocks
Bee Hollow Farm
Schodack Landing, N.Y.
Pure Honey
https://www.beehollowfarm.com/
Crimson Valley Nursery
West Coxsackie, N.Y.
Hostas and other perennials, hydrangeas, blueberry bushes, and Japanese Maples grown without pesticides
The Schenectady Distilling Company
Schenectady, N.Y.
Hand crafted New York distilled spirits
https://36locks.com
1857 spirits
Middleburgh, N.Y.
Handcrafted Potato Vodka
http://www.1857spirits.com/
The Vermont Spätzle Company
Arlington, Vt.
Gluten free traditional spätzle noodles
https://www.vtspatzlecompany.com
Market Pops
Delmar, N.Y.
Fresh, small batch popsicles in unique flavor combinations.
facebook.com/mktpops
Saratoga Chocolate
Saratoga Springs, NY
Fine crafted truffles, pralines and chocolate bars
https://www.saratogachocolateco.com/
The Fifth Tier Baking Studio
Albany, N.Y.
Pastries and confections
https://www.facebook.com/fifthtierbakingstudio
fin – your fishmonger
Guilderland, N.Y.
Lobster rolls, sweet potato salmon burgers, crab cakes, fish tacos and Korean BBQ salmon tacos
finshops.com
palate de la rosa
Rensselaer, NY
Market fresh guacamole, fresh salsas ,tortillas chips and fresh taco
Taj Mahal Restaurant
Schenectady, N.Y.
Authentic Indian cuisine cooked with homemade spices.
http://www.tmahalrestaurant.com
Albany Massage
Albany, N.Y.
Therapeutic massage
www.albanymassage.com
