Fresh is back

By Geri Corey
GOSHEN — Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Terry Smallin ordered beautiful weather for opening day — and his wish was granted.
Friday, May 20, was the grand opening of the Goshen Farmers’ Market, and the weather couldn’t have been better — full sun and blue sky, and, beneath, plenty of vendors selling homegrown and homemade items.
After Goshen’s own Emma Jorgensen gave a stunning delivery of "the Star-Spangled Banner,” and the ribbon was cut, people got busy, browsing and shopping.
Diana Lupinski, who’s been market manager for the past five years, was pleased to point out the variety of vendors at this year’s market offering local fresh items: vegetables, fruits, organic produce, jams and jellies, breads, pastas, soups, pastries, cookies, pies, meat, chicken, wine, candles, pottery, soaps, fresh flowers and plants, Polish specialities, and gluten-free offerings. This season there are 35 vendors.
“This is a part of Americana," said Lupinski. "We’re free to enter the market, shop for what we want when we want it. And it’s fresh. It hasn’t been refrigerated for days. This is where to buy your produce.”
Considering how early it is in the growing season, it is astonishing how much good food there were to choose from. There were also tomatoes and other vegetables to plant and grow yourself.
“The market is getting better and better each year,” said Lupinski.
Ashley Brower, who travels from Newburgh each week with her four-year-old twins, Robert and Ahren, said she's excited that the market is open. They bring their own baskets to fill with veggies from Bialas Farm (Goshen), chocolate milk from Edgewick Farm (Cornwall), and jam from LunaGrown Jam (Wurtsboro).
It’s Christopher Wilson’s third year at the market. As the owner/operator of LunaGrown Jam, he explained that all cooking is done in small batches, no more than 20 jars at a time. He grows most of the fruit that he uses in his jams.
After moving to a new home with his two dogs, one dog, Luna, was missing for a while. When they found her, she was enjoying a patch of wild blueberries growing on their property. Wilson said right then and there he decided what to do with the blueberries, and LunaGrown Jam was founded. Even the label is Wilson’s own design.
It’s stories like this that make the Goshen Farmers’ Market a wonderful — and nutritious — place to shop each Friday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., right through Oct. 28. Find it the Village Square, in the heart of Goshen (facing Route 207).
Bon appetit!