NORTH SALEM, N.Y. - The North Salem Farmers Market has been experiencing a growth spurt.
Its shift to a weekly schedule this year has “been exciting and definitely a learning experience,” says co-founder Natalie Gehrels.
The 2026 season started in May and runs through Oct. 10 on Back Street in Croton Falls.
Previously the market was open once a month. This year it went to 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday.
More than 50 vendors have participated this season so far.
“What’s been really encouraging is the continued support from the local community -- attendance has been growing week over week, which gives me a lot of confidence that this can sustain and continue to grow long-term,” Gehrels said.
A part of the transition has been the market’s becoming a nonprofit 501(c)(3) model under the Field Future Foundation.
“We’re really focused on understanding how to support a weekly model in a sustainable way -- both in terms of operations and in how we continue to support vendors, while also expanding access to fresh food, education, and cultural programming for the community,” she said, adding that the town “has been incredibly supportive from the very beginning, which has made a huge difference.”
Now that it’s operating weekly, the market has launched a nutrition program with New York state, which allows it to provide coupons to people in need that can be used to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables from vendors.
That new program “has been really meaningful to get up and running,” Gehrels said.
Live music continues to be a draw.
The programming is presented in association with Here and There. It had a special appearance by Grammy winning saxophonist Ian Hendrickson-Smith – of Uncle Cheef, The Roots, and The Tonight Show -- this season and many local musicians are performing there week to week.
“It really helps create a space where people can linger -- grab something to eat, sit down, listen to music, and spend time together,” she said.
There’s lots of stuff for the kiddos to do too.
“It’s been a real delight to engage younger members of the community, and we’re very intentional about creating something that reaches intergenerationally,” she said, pointing to a popular children’s pasta making class and it works with Fiddleheads Cooking Studio to give kids access to hands-on education around food, food preparation, and farming.
Welcomed to the venue this year was the Rewilding School, which helps kids learn about local ecosystems, natural habitats, and their connection to the land.
“It’s been a really special layer of the market,” Gehrels said.
Also new is the North Salem Seniors Transportation Service, which is offered to residents over age 60 on the second Saturday of each month in partnership with the town’s Recreation Department.
The market is also working with Second Chance Foods in Brewster on a food rescue program.
The goal is to donate “hundreds of pounds of fresh food that can be turned into prepared meals for people in need across Westchester,” Gehrels said.
A membership program was also launched to help support the market’s operations and growth.
According to Gehrels, members receive access to our end-of-season celebration, as well as a harvest fermentation class we’ll be hosting at Caramoor in October.
“That’s part of our broader focus on education -- helping people learn how to extend the life of seasonal produce through fermentation and preservation,” Gehrels said.
Now in its third season, the market “is becoming a real community hub,” according to its organizers.
“There’s something really powerful about buying food directly from the people who grew or raised it -- and often, it’s comparable in price to what you’d find at the grocery store, but fresher and more transparent,” Gehrels said.
Gehrels and market co-founder and husband Jonas Andersen have already started to think about the 2027 season and are open to conversations with potential sponsors.
“Partnerships have been an important part of our ability to reach the community and expand what we’re offering, and we’d love to continue building on that,” she said.
GOOD TO KNOW
Information about the market, including weekly vendor lists, is available on its website, www.northsalemfarmersmarket.org and on Instagram.
It welcomes feedback from the community which, it says, will help it continue to grow and improve.
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