By Patti Wood
The Port Washington Farmers’ Market will open for the season next Saturday morning, June 11, on the Town Dock from 8 a.m. until noon, rain or shine. Port’s market is the only 100 percent organic market in New York state.
Loyal market-goers will tell you that the farmers’ market is one of the best things about living in Port Washington. Locals meet to shop, sit in the café with a cup of coffee and a freshly baked treat and enjoy the beautiful view of Manhasset Bay. The market brings a wide selection of fresh foods grown or made here on Long Island or caught in nearby South Shore waters. Nothing comes close to the taste of just-picked organic strawberries atop a homemade shortcake, or sautéed greens and summer squash with a piece of freshly caught fish. And the many health benefits of eating locally, seasonally and organically are recognized by a growing number of health professionals and nutritionists.
Of course, there are other important reasons to support this effort. Buying from farmers’ markets supports our local sustainable farming community. Port’s market works with growers who produce food in harmony with nature, and who do not pollute our air or contaminate our fragile groundwater supply. And in today’s world of huge agri-businesses, with their fossil fuel-dependent infrastructure and uncertainty about the safety of GMO crops and the use of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers, the market offers you safer and more sustainable food choices.
This year, the market will have beautiful produce from the Golden Earthworm Farm and Orient Organics, breads, cheeses, fresh salsas and pestos, pasta, juices, fish, honey, flowers from Emerald Farm, handmade soaps, vegan bakers, local baked goods (yes, blueberry muffins), delicious organic coffee from Café Mam (not local, but one of the best cups around) and more. The regulars will be pleased to know that chocolate sourdough twists are coming back. And again this year, the market will have local artisans displaying and selling their work, as well as special days where we will have cooking demos.
The market is a project of local nonprofit, Grassroots Environmental Education. For more information, call Jill Minogue at Grassroots at 516-883-0887.
