SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) – Around 3,000 people come to Clinton Square each week for the Downtown Farmers Market, which runs from June to October every year.The Downtown Committee of Syracuse’s Alice Maggiore said it is one way the community comes together.
“The Downtown Farmers Market Encourages folks to interact with their surroundings,” she said. “And Clinton Square is sort of seen as the center of the city where a lot of festivals happen and take place, and it’s nice to see every Tuesday the Farmer’s Market bring this area to life.”
The Farmers Market is one way to draw people like Mark Congel, a local developer, back to downtown Syracuse…
“I’m just glad it’s here,” he said. “It’s a nice thing for Downtown Syracuse, you know obviously the farmers work very hard to bring their produce here and I’m glad it’s here every Tuesday.”
Farmers like Bethany Ingersoll of Ingersoll Farms appreciate the extra business that the Market brings. Her farm is about 20 miles outside of Syracuse, so they don’t often get visitors.
“We do get quite a few people who are out here on their lunch breaks to come out and they might be something they’re buying for their lunch break, or for dinner and they’re planning ahead,” Ingersoll said. “They’re coming out and actually taking the time out of their day to shop here at the market.”
And when fresh produce is on display, it encourages people to use better ingredients in their kitchens.
“I think it teaches you to cook healthier, and cook it better portions and to buy in better portions as well,” said Congel.
And even though the 2019 Farmer’s Market is ending, it doesn’t mean that people’s healthy habits will. Thanks to classes run by the Food Bank of Central New York throughout the market’s 47th season, people learned how the fresh produce impacts health. They also learned new ways to prepare the fresh fruit and veggies.
“People bring out their kids and are trying to advocate for teaching them how to eat healthy and shopping local is to way to go,” Ingersoll said.
The Downtown Farmer’s Market will return in June 2020, and many of the vendors plan to return because the partnership between farms, businesses and the community continues to grow.
