SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — Tuesday marked the end of the 2022 Downtown Syracuse Farmer’s Market. From June to October, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., vendors flocked to Clinton Square, bringing fresh produce and goods to customers from around the 315. For business owners, like first-year vendor Mark Pawliw, it’s a way to connect with the community.
“It’s a way to get our name out there and be a part of the greater community here that is the farms,” Pawliw, the owner of Eden Food Network said. “So we kind of jumped right in.”
After working in the restaurant business, Pawliw decided to open Eden Food Network, an online and soon-to-be static business opening in Tipperary Hill, which redistributes farmers’ products to customers. Pawliw hopes to build up a customer base large enough where he can provide for major institutions, such as Syracuse University.
Whether a first-time vendor or 40-year veteran of the downtown market like Tom Hoxie, owner of Hoxie Farms, the selling point for the products is always the same.
“[The food is] Fresh, picked close to the market, homegrown.” Hoxie said.
The Hoxie Farms bestseller is their sweet corn. Soon, Hoxie mentioned, he’d pass the family business on to his son and grandkids, who he hopes will continue coming to the market. While Hoxie Farms has been coming to the market for 40 years, the institution itself has been around for 50. Executive Director of Downtown Syracuse Merike Treier says the big 5-0 shows the link between local buyers and sellers.
“It speaks to the support of our community in putting on this event,” Treier said. “It was really exciting to reach the 50 year milestone, not only for our farmers who come back year after year but also the community we serve.”
