Andy Close
WARREN, Pa. – The Farmers Market in Warren will make its return this Saturday, with plenty of good reasons for people to attend.
“It’s just a great social event with locally grown and produced products that people of all ages can enjoy,” said member Tom Frair said.
Weather permitting, it will be held every Saturday from 8 a.m. until 12 p.m. at the Midtown Parking Lot in downtown Warren.
“The Midtown lot is a great venue with easy access,” Friar said of the market, which has been in existence ‘for at least 45 years.’
COVID took its toll on many vendors last year, but a strong turnout is expected in 2021.
“We still have a nice market,” Friar said. “Last year our vendor numbers were down in part due to the craziness going on. Vendor numbers ebb and flow as natural attrition, life goes on type stuff. And people realize it’s a lot of work.”
Friar said he expects at least 10 vendors, with that varying throughout the summer and into the fall.
There will be many products available at the market, fruits, vegetables, flowers, crafts and herbs among them.
The early-season produce will feature strawberries, lettuce and radishes, among a host of options.
“There will also be maple syrup and honey for sale,” Frair said.
“Midseason we’ll be seeing flowers,” noted Frair. “Midseason crops would be green beans, beets, carrots the entire produce gamut. Sweet corn will come in mid to late summer. Tomatoes peppers squash, cucumbers on through the fall. There will be pumpkins, winter squash in the fall as well.”
Through it all, there is one thing they like to tout above all else.
“The main thing we like to promote is farm to consumer direct sales of locally grown produce,” Friar said. “Our vendors, for the vast majority of years that I’ve been there, it’s been a hobby, it’s not a full-time business. We’re hoping folks will support small local businesses.
“We will be having some craft vendors this year as well. We almost always do. Our rule is that vendors have at least have 80 percent of their wears either homemade, homegrown or home produced.”
And patrons can also plan on the pleasure of live music while they are there as well.
“We usually have a group of musicians that come in on their own and play some bluegrass type music,” Friar said. “They come around 10 and play for a couple of hours at no charge. They’ve been doing that for several years.”
The vendors aim to make it an enjoyable experience for everyone, and it’s something that most of them consider to be a labor of love.
“I start getting ready at about 3 p.m. on Friday afternoon and end at 7,” he said. “Then I’m there two hours before setting up and tear down for two hours after we’re done. We do it for the love of it because it’s ingrained in us.”
There also may be some vendors selling eggs, meats, dairy products, chicken, poultry, cheese.
