Sugar Loaf farmer's market ready to provide fresh foods

SUGAR LOAF — When you ask Kevin Kern, a co-owner of Romer’s Alley in Sugar Loaf, about the farmers market he has opened the hamlet, you will get much more than a list of participating farmers. Like many towns across the region, Sugar Loaf is reinventing itself while working through this recession. Kern hopes the new farmers market will provide one more reason for the community to stay local and support the farmers, restaurants, and artisans of Sugar Loaf. “I moved here almost 20 years ago because of the people of Sugar Loaf,” said Kern, “Sugar Loaf is like no other place in Orange County and we all need a reason to stop texting and get out and meet our neighbors.” Tammy Danzella, owner of Moondancer in Sugar Loaf is happy to see the return of the market. “People moved to the area for the picturesque landscapes that the farmland provides,” she said. “Supporting our local farms benefits all of us by preventing the same farms from being sold off to development.” Visitors will find fruits, vegetables, cut flowers and baked goods from local growers Glebocki Farms and Soons Orchards. Belmond Farm of Montgomery sells additive- free naturally raised pork, chicken and turkey products. Club Ontaroga of Goshen offers fresh salsa, handcrafted cream cheese spreads, gourmet jams and herbed oils. Apiaries from the South Eastern Beekeepers will be on hand to sell local honey. Sugar Loaf resident Shary Denes exclusively shops at farmers markets from spring through fall. “The food is a lot healthier and a lot more nutritious, farmers pick for the markets generally within 24 hours,” she said. Jonathan Thomson, operations manager of New York’s Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) program reminded shoppers that “Sugar Loaf will be participating in FMNP which is good news for WIC and Senior FMNP participants.” The WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program, associated with the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for women, infants and children, provides supplemental foods, health care referrals and nutrition education at no cost to low-income pregnant, breastfeeding and non-breastfeeding post-partum women, and to infants and children up to age five, who are found to be at nutritional risk. The Sugar Loaf Farmer’s Market began Saturday, June 6 and goes through November, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is located in Romer’s Alley, across from Barnsider Restaurant. Interested vendors may call 914-420-7823 or e-mail maketimetoloaf@aol.com.