news article

Fresh, local food offered to the Sodus community

November 20, 2017 / By Sandy Hall, Manager, Sodus Farmers’ Market

Ten years ago, a Sodus United Third Methodist Church member, Nancy Ransley, attended our outreach Team meeting to share a vision she had for the community. Her vision has come to fruition! She could see the need and benefits to the community having a farmers’ market. Nancy spent several winters in Florida. She said, “There were farmers’ markets all over the place (in Florida). And I couldn’t think of any around here. I thought that would go over well here as we have the farmers’ produce to sell.”

Nancy’s idea was applauded and the planning began. A mission statement was designed: The purposes of this market are to provide an opportunity for local farmers, vendors, and crafters to offer their fresh produce, homemade crafts, and other products to the residents of the community and to provide a shopping opportunity for community members.

Interviews with two local farmers who attended markets, contacts with the NYS Department of Agriculture, calls to the church insurance agent, conversations with village officials,

and an experimental market was held with a handful of local farmers in 2008. It was an immediate success and the community asked “When is the next farmers’ market?” Dates were chosen, mailings to local farmers sent out, and the market began in earnest in 2009 with seven dedicated farmers/vendors.

Held every Wednesday from mid-June to mid-October from 2:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the Sodus United Third Methodist Church parking lot, the market is run by a team of five volunteers – each as important as the other!

I am the market manager and I am responsible for taking care of paperwork and requirements. I do all of the communicating with the Department of Agriculture and Markets in Albany and make sure that we have bona fide farmers here. We go and inspect farms and their crops. The farmers need to give us their crop plan and let us know whether or not they will accept FMNP (Farmers Market Nutrition Program) that people with certain qualifications can get.

I plan our meetings, which start in February; we have brief meetings each day of the market and then we have a wrap-up meeting when the market ends each year. I also plan our vendor meeting, which happens just before the market starts. I invite all the vendors to come and go over all the rules and regulations.

The Financial Secretary, Mary Ann Riker, takes care of collecting and recording vendor fees, paying bills, and setting up and running the EBT station.

Our “Friends of the Market” is handled by Sandi Hamilton, who also collects any weekly vendor fees, keeps attendance, and makes sure all paperwork (insurance, application, permits/ licenses, etc.) are collected and filed.

Assigning vendor locations is the responsibility of Ruth Fisher. Ruth said, “Vendors who come year after year often want their same spot so I arrange for that. There are also some farmers who are only here seasonally, like our blueberry farmer.” Ruth also schedules farm inspections.

Nancy Ghertner maintains our Facebook page and takes photos at the market. She also writes articles for local papers about our market and profiles on some of the farmers.

Now in our ninth year, the market has changed and grown. The market typically features 20+ vendors and several special events weekly. Once a month for June, July, and August the market features “Health and Wellness Days” and local agencies are contacted to participate. On those days, the market lot is packed to overflowing!

The response from the community (and surrounding communities) continues to astound the market team. We can expect to have over 700 visitors on any Wednesday. The market is a happy, social event. The vision has been fulfilled!

Visit our web page (https://www.sutmc.org/sodus-farmers-market) and our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/SodusFarmersMarket/) to see more photos of the market in action.

To learn more about this ministry, watch the video online: https://vimeo.com/uppernewyork/sodusfarmersmarket

Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the Fall 2017 edition of the UNY Advocate.