Season Opening:

Syracuse Eastside Neighborhood Farmers’ Market

Syracuse, NY --  MAY 27, 2009 --   The Syracuse Eastside Neighborhood Farmers’ Market will celebrate its third season with its Opening Day on Wednesday, June 24, 2009 in Loguen Park (formerly Lexington Park, at the intersection of East Genesee Street and Columbus Avenue).  The market will be open from 2:00pm to 7:00pm every Wednesday until the last day of the market, currently slated for October 28, 2009.  This community-driven market features fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables.

We are excited to announce that the Brownson Family Farm and Owen Orchards will return for our third season with their wonderful selection of fresh fruit and vegetables.  The Syracuse Real Food Cooperative will also be selling at the market, expanding the market’s offerings with bulk food items such as rice, beans, and dried fruits and nuts.    

All farmers participating in the Syracuse Eastside Neighborhood Farmers’ Market accept WIC and Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) coupons as well as food stamp benefits.  The market is also able to accept all major CREDIT/ DEBIT cards through its wireless EBT service.  We are the only local farmers’ market with this capability.

At the Opening Day, community agencies and organizations will be present to provide information and giveaways on a variety of community programs and services.   There will be free balloons for kids and a special performance at 5:30pm by Nate and Kate, who will travel from Ithaca, NY as part of their summer-long “Eat Local Tour” of New York State Farmers’ Markets.  As part of the “Eat Local Tour” Nate and Kate will only eat from within a 50-mile radius of each show from local producers, to help support and call attention to the importance of local farms, in hard economic times.  Their show is an original all-ages variety show that is a mix of traditional and new acoustic music on cello, guitar, banjo, and blues harmonica. They also perform difficult juggling routines choreographed to cello, comedy, and some audience participation for variety.  Nate and Kate have been featured at the Ithaca Festival, the Grassroots Festival, and various cafes, colleges, clubs and bars from Maine to North Carolina in the past year.   www.nateandkatemusic.com

Please come out and enjoy the neighborhood, the park, the playground set, and welcome our new and returning vendors to an exciting third season!

Background: The Syracuse Eastside Neighborhood Farmers’ Market is sponsored and supported by the Community Foundation of Central New York and the Westcott Community Center, and has partnered with the Loguen Park Association, Farmers Market Federation of New York, SUNY ESF Center for Community Design Research, Syracuse Real Foods Cooperative, and Grace Episcopal Church.  

The mission of the Syracuse Eastside Neighborhood Farmers’ Market is to host a market that improves neighborhood food security, supports local farmers and businesses, teaches youth entrepreneurship skills, while enriching the cultural heritage and community life of Syracuse’s Eastside neighborhood through educational and cultural programming.  

For more information about the market, please contact Kate Auwaerter at 315-751-1067 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .