The Rainbow of a Winter Farmers Market

How do you bring people to an upstate NY small city downtown on a winter Saturday morning?

Simple.  Host an indoor farmers market with easy parking.  And just stand back.

There has obviously been a hunger for year round interaction with farmers here in the Binghamton, NY area.  Today spouse and I made our second visit to the Binghamton winter farmers market, which is taking place Friday evenings the first Friday of the month, and the second and fourth Saturdays.

This brings needed foot traffic to the downtown of our small city of some 47,000. people.  Will these people shop elsewhere downtown?  It's hard to say - there are only limited Saturday shopping venues downtown, but I am hoping that some small businesses, such as the local downtown nut roaster M&D R Nuts, will benefit from the increased visitors.

What do you find in a winter farmers market in upstate NY?  The criteria is that everything sold must be raised, grown or crafted in New York State. That includes alpaca wool....

whole grain English muffins....(we bought the multi grain: they were already out of our favorite, cheddar....)

honey....(this vendor was also selling stewing hens for $2.50 lb, and we picked one up.  We used to raise our own chickens years back, and look forward to the golden goodness of a free range chicken soup.)

Apples, herbal products, and more meats....

....and more wool.

Another vendor was selling brussels sprouts on the stem, and a "winter root mix" of carrots and some other goodies.

I saw some gloves at one of the alpaca booths, and stopped by.  I asked the proprietor if she made fingerless gloves.  I don't want them for texting but rather because I have a medical condition that makes my hands (and feet) red/purple and cold all the time.  Winter can be hard on me, especially if the heat in my office isn't working right.  Well, she didn't have any in stock but she could make them from her stock of fingered gloves (she uses them herself).  She asked me to choose a color, and I chose a nice turquoise.

I should have them in another week and then:  winter, watch out - with my white/red coat, I'll be wearing a rainbow!