NORTH SALEM, NY. - The North Salem Farmers Market has gotten the green thumbs up to transition from a monthly to a weekly affair.
Held in Croton Falls, the market is currently held on the second Saturday of the month from May to October.
Natalie Marie Gehrels and her husband, Jonas Andersen, launched the venture in 2024.
It’s been doing so well that this one month this past spring it had attracted more than 2,000 visitors, the entrepreneurs told the Town Board in July. (Gehrels and Andersen are the owners of Folkways Wines, which is located on Front Street in the hamlet’s business district.)
Research found that the market was serving North Salem residents as well as folks from around Northern Westchester and lower Putnam County.
The survey also showed that patrons were happy with the quality and variety of products but wished the market was held more frequently.
They got their wish.
The board approved the couple’s application for a permit for the 2026 season at its Aug. 26 meeting.
Among the proposed vendors are many familiar faces including: D.I.G. Farm, Fino Farms, Steward-Watson Farm, Crow Hill Nursery, Montauk Catch Club, Fat Apple Farm Dairy & Cheese, Wild Iris Flower Co., and Hardscrabble Cider.
There will be live music and family activities as well.
Councilwoman Katherine Daniels mentioned at the board meeting that mom and pops in downtown Croton Falls seemed to be onboard with the idea of expanding the market.
(It doesn’t hurt that folks are meandering over to check out their wares as well.)
Gehrels and Andersen also got the okay to keep a small trailer on site in which to store chairs and other things they’ve been having to haul back and forth.
It must be removed at the conclusion of the market next year.
Weekly markets have several advantages.
They provide consistency and better access to fresh, locally produced foods for patrons and a regular income for farmers, Gehrels said.
Going weekly could also mean that the market might qualify to participate in the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which provides food-purchasing assistance to low-income individuals and families.
Certain individual vendors accept SNAP now, but once the market is in weekly mode, it could set up a system under which patrons could shop at any one they wanted to and the market itself could redeem the credits.
Good to Know
Located on Back Street in Croton Falls, the North Salem Farmers Market is held on the second Saturday of each month from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
For more information, visit www.northsalemfarmersmarket.org
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