The summer harvest is here and a bountiful selection of crops of fresh fruits and vegetables are ripe for the picking in Syracuse. The Downtown Farmer’s Market kicks off its season today in Clinton Square with over 50 farmers and produce dealers. Delaney Farms from Syracuse has made countless trips over 28 years. Joanne Delaney says all of their products are homegrown.
“We still do have a wide variety of herbs, and tomato plants and flowering annuals. And I think we’re a cut above because you get to meet the person who grew your food. And it’s fresh. It can’t be any fresher than coming right off the farm, straight to you.”
Even on a cloudy day, Payne Farms brightened up their corner spot at the market. Cindy Payne says it’s a year-round operation growing a variety of flowers for the changing seasons.
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“They’re beautiful. There’s been a lot of breeding going into all of the flowering plants to have more vibrant color. More lasting and different colors. It really shows; the breeders are doing a really good job.”
Payne enjoys explaining to people how to care for the plants she sells. As she points out, it's an advantage of buying from someone who knows where the plants came from.
For some, the weekly trip to Syracuse is a bit further. Walling’s Maple Syrup is from South New Berlin, New York, near Norwich. Sue Walling says the family survived freezing cold temperatures last January to begin setting up equipment to tap trees when temperatures finally warmed up. It's times like those the family questions why they’re in the syrup business but, they feel it’s worth it. Walling says they see the process through from beginning to end.
“It’s all maple. It’s all natural. That’s the only thing that’s in it is maple sap that’s been boiled down and it’s also healthy. It’s very health for you. It’s got antioxidants and minerals.”
The Downtown Farmer’s Market runs every Tuesday through October 14th from 7 AM to 4 PM.