Contributed by Christine Briel / Skaneateles Design

Early in the summer I rode my bike with my daughter out to Borodino Market (our first trip to see the family farm for this season) and blogged on here about our great purchase of blackberry jam.

About a month later a nice lady from the local periodical FamilyTimes called me on the phone to inquire about my families habits of buying local, how important it was to us and how we emphasized it with our children (she came across the aforementioned blog post about the jam). She did a really nice write up on buying local in the August 2008 copy of Family Times in the article titled “Livin’ La Vida Local” - below is an excerpt of our conversation and the mention of our families favorite local treasure Borodino Market.

“… Skaneateles mother Christine Briel was initially driven to go local by the quality of produce grown around her home. “Freshness is the biggest thing,” says Briel, who has one child in college and one in high school, “but the connection with people who actually grew the stuff is really important, too.”

She doesn’t always find time in her busy schedule to stop at the weekly farmers’ market in her town. “If I miss the market, I will go to a local farm foods store like the Borodino Market,” Briel says. “Especially with our long winters, I find it really valuable to get fresh produce during the summer months.”

What they don’t buy from local farmers, the Briels grow in their back yard. This year, they will get radishes, lettuce, Brussels sprouts, tomatoes, beans and peas from their garden …”

Read the entire article at www.familytimes.biz

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Today I got my Town of Skaneateles Newsletter in the mail. It’s full of the typical information - the law being laid down for any of us thinking about home remodeling and the permit that we DEFINITELY need to obtain, transfer station rules and regulations (now I know what I can do with that car battery that’s been lying around for 6 months, and the ever so funny rantings about irresponsible pet owners

The best article in the newsletter had to do with the Farmers Market. With Spring having sprung in our local area I want for the cornucopia of food offered at our local Farmers Market up at the Community Center. They will be opened longer this year - calendar days and operating hours. Read the Town Newsletter article below. It was written by Councilor Dave Laxton.

“This year marks the tenth year for the Skaneateles Farmers Market. Starting with a handful of vendors and limited selection, the market now has many more participants and a large variety of plants, fruits, vegetables, baked goods, eggs, meat and even wine and cheese!

This year the market will experience an expansion of dates and hours of operation. The market is responding to consumer demand and the ability of vendors to offer products over a longer time span. The market will open on Thursday, May 22 and continue until Christmas if a suitable indoor space is available after mid-October. Tentative plans reflect market hours will be the same: 3:30PM to 6:30PM. Hours may be expanded for the months of July and August, perhaps until 7:30PM.

As always, the focus is to buy locally produced products and buy from the producers. It is important that the dollars you spend stay in the local economy. This way everyone wins as the dollars are turned over locally, the consumer gets the freshest, safest, most nutritious product and you can talk with the person who made it, or grew it.

There is a need to get residents involved to support the local market. If you believe in environmental issues, a local food source, fresher and tastier produce, and knowledge of who and how your food is produced I encourage you to get involved. This could mean promotion by organizations, school groups, bringing the subject up at social gatherings, or merely reminding your neighbors that today is market day at the community center.

If anyone has any suggestion in regards to the Town sponsored Farmers Market call the Town Clerk, or Dave Laxton at 685-6427.

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