All Over Albany

Shopping the farmers' markets

One of the best things about weekends in the Capital Region is shopping the farmers' markets.

This week it's all about the strawberries! Also, there's still at least one place with LOTS of asparagus.

Here's more info on what to expect at markets in Troy, Saratoga, Schenectady and Albany.

SATURDAY MARKETS

Troy Farmers' Market

Riverfront Park (map)
Saturdays 9AM - 1PM

In season now:
Strawberries are in full swing, but they still sell out fast. Lots of greens:Arugula, kale, lacinata or daosaur, green, curly, red, lettuce (spicy and mild mesclun blends, spinach ( baby and full leaf), oak and deer tongue lettuce.

Other fun stuff:
Prepared food from Thunder Mountain Curry.
Live music from The Amazing Hill Hollow Band
Seasonal cooking demonstration from chef Larry of Tosca Grill
RCHS walking tour of Troy from 10:30-11:30 starts at the market. This week's tour focuses on monuments and memorials

Saratoga Farmers' Market
High Rock Park (map)
Saturday 9AM - 1PM
Also Wednesday from 3-6

In season now:
Lots of plants, flowers, greens, scallions, beets, early peas, sprouts and LOTS OF STRAWBERRIES!

Also Expect:
baked goods, honey jams

Farmers Market at the Crossings
Crossings Park of Colonie, Albany-Shaker Road across from Emerick Ln.(map) Saturday 9AM-1PM

In season now:
Strawberries. Also Bowman Orchards still has tons of asparagus!

Also Expect
Meadowbrook Dairy: fresh milk, cream and half & half

The Peanut Principle: assorted homemade nut products, candy, chocolates and dried fruit

Albany Farmers Market
Saturday from 9AM- 1PM
339 Central Avenue, Albany
Linda Norris Auditorium Lot (map)

In season now:
Barber's Farm will have four varieties of lettuce, a beautiful gourmet green leaf, gourmet red leaf, crisp romaine, and tender Boston heads. They will also have fresh chard; the colorful "Bright lights" var. featuring stems of red, orange, yellow and green, tender red radishes, and small, sweet white salad turnips which are wonderful for roasting as well as used raw for a welcome "crunch" in a fresh spring salad. They will also offer beautiful large leaf spinach and maybe the first of our edible pod peas; var. "Sugar Anne." Plant-wise they still have healthy tomato plants to choose from including 6 varieties of heirlooms for your garden as well as peppers (hots, bell and frying types,) and more, and lots of flowering bedding plants, perennial and annual herb plants and more of our 12" hanging basket combinations.

Bowman Orchards will offer a variety of apples, and what could be the last of the asparagus. They're also bringing tender sweet strawberries, perfectly ripe. You'll be tempted to finish them off before you even get home, so buy extra.

Little Seed offers the very best in organic greens including a spicy mesclun mix, kale, and chard.

Also expect:
Saratoga Apple will have Honeycrisp, Gala, and McIntosh apples fresh from cold storage, delicately flavored applesauce, cider, asparagus, and dried apples, which make a great addition to your morning cereal or yogurt.

Adirondack Fudge will be back with a variety of fudge including maple and peanut butter, and quirkier varieties like orange and mint.

Ledge Rock Farms will have 100% grass-fed Angus beef, in range of cuts from Porterhouse to Top Sirloin. They also have freshly-ground hamburger, steaks and stew pieces, making Ledge Rock your a sure-fire choice for a successful barbeque.

Other fun stuff:
Grand opening celebration:

Free BBQ lunch from Shea's Restaurant from 11:30-1.

Cooking demonstration by Tamara Flanders. Learn to make a fresh strawberry cobbler using ingredients right from the market.

Music for big kids and little kids from Uncle Rock

Adopt-a-goat -- kids ecology program. Suzann Kipp of Kipp Hill Farms will teach the kids about a typical day on the farm. She'll introduce the kids to some of her goats, and instruct them about the raising and caring for animals.

Handmade jewelry by Gemmesduterre

SUNDAY MARKETS:

Schenectady Greenmarket
Around Schenectady City Hall (map)
Sunday 10am-2pm

Produce vendors:
Barber's Farm, Buhrmaster Family Farm, Cornell Farm, Four Wheel Farm, Free Bird Farm, Full Quiver Farm, Maynard Farms, Migliorelli Farm, Native Farm Flowers, Underwood's Greenhouse/Shushan Valley Hydro Farm, Wellington Herbs and Spices, Windy Willow Farm 

Produce we expect this week:
This is the week for strawberries. (And, there could be blueberries if the weather warms up.)

Veggies: broccoli, green onions, peas (at least two types), garlic, carrots, chinese cabbage (possibly), baby fennel, bok choy, beets, turnips, radishes, zucchini, yellow squash, hydroponic tomatoes, green beans, Asian and Tyria (baby) cucumbers,

Greens: chard (rainbox and more), kale, many varieties of salad mixes, braising greens and lettuces (buttercrunch, red and green leaf, bib, butter, oak, romaine and some mixed heads that combine all of these!)

Herbs: sweet basil, dill, cilantro, parsley, thyme, arugula and more!

Fresh cut flowers: foxglove, nepeta, peonies and more

Windy Willow Farm will have asparagus--a perk due to the unusually cool weather we have had!

Also expect:

Abbey Farms, Argyle Cheese Farmer, Battenkill Valley Creamery, Bollywood Masala, Bon Jolie Delectables, BuddhaPesto, Cascade Mountain Winery, Cooper's Ark Farm, Dancing Ewe Farm, Divinitea, Dutch Desserts, Gemmesduterre, Healing Path Massage, Hudson-Chatham Winery, JCN Designs/Sororia Organics Soap, Lloyd Spear Beekeeper, Mariaville Angus, Mary Ann Thomas, Moseskill Marketplace, Mu Mu Muesli, Olivia Royale, Our Daily Bread, Painted Goat Farm, Palatine Valley Dairy, Pixie's Preserves by Petuske's Produce, The Placid Baker, Saratoga Peanut Butter Company, Slyboro Ciderhouse, Sweet Tree Farm

Other Fun Stuff:

Sample all kinds of good stuff:

certified organic herbs, hydroponic, grass-fed beef, pastured pork, and pastured chicken, hard ciders, sparkling ciders, still dry ciders and ice ciders, all natural peanut butter, artisan baked good using the finest organic and local products including 100% locally-grown organic white and whole wheat flour, jams and jellies, cheese and cheese curd, fresh and aged goat cheese, crocheted hats, locally grown cut flowers and planters, muesli, local arts and crafts, pottery, colorful paintings, prints, pillows and jewelry, pasture-raised/grain finished beef, pork, lamb, goat, chickens, turkeys, eggs, honey, beeswax products, organic soaps, wine, maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, chair massages, one-of-a-kind jewelry, heirloom vegetables, specialty salad greens, organic vegetables, annuals and perennials, delicious brownies, chocolate chip cookies and authentic Dutch butter squares and tarts, hand-picked, vegetables, fruits, and herbs as well as flowering greenhouse crops, spectacular hanging baskets and vegetable plants, premium-quality all-natural milk, cream and ice cream, Indian street food, European pastries, cakes and tortes, pies and tarts, breads, cheesecakes and cookies, pesto, premium table wines, olive oil, mustard, pastured eggs, meat birds, guinea fowl, duck, fresh brown eggs, maple syrup, small fruits, organic and biodynamic teas, Italian-style cheeses, home baked breads made with organic flours, dairy-made cheese

Music from Steve Scarlata

Community table: The Celtic Faire Committee.

This week The Red Barn will be bringing lots of chicken pot pies, since they RAN OUT early last week. This week they are introducing their summer favorite....lobster pot pie to the market! They will continue to have their popular fruit sticks, pink lemonade and the addictive house made potato chips. Lunch items include hot dogs, chili dogs, guacamole and new lunch choices for those that don't eat dogs!

See Molly at Cooper's Ark Farm for discount coupons for educational farm tours.