Things around us keep on getting better with more optimistic signs coming our way that the “worst” is behind us. I spoke with Johnny Pizzolato, the President of the Barryville Farmers Market and the Market opening day for their third season will be on Saturday, May 22nd. This award-winning volunteer-based Farmers Market (The River Reporter Winner for the Best Farmers Market) continues to grow and this season there will be six new vendors as well as the twelve vendors we have grown to depend on who will be returning for another season. One of the new vendors is Fretta's Italian Meats and Sausages. This family business was originally established in 1906 in New York City's Little Italy as Fretta's Pork Store. The family relocated to Milford, Pennsylvania and opened the wildly popular Fretta's Italian Food Specialties in 1998. Now continuing the over one hundred-year-old tradition of making Italian sausage, salami, capicola, soppressata and other cured meats made from the family's traditional recipes, Joe and Denice Fretta will be at the Barryville farmers Market on Saturdays with their best selections. Also new this year will be Grizzly Bagels from Cochecton, (a freshly baked bagel with a smear) a line of skincare products and a new artisanal hot sauce company from Yulan.

As usual there will be a live band and for Opening Day, it will feature musicians Fisher & Kean who for the first time will be premiering their new double CD set “Pure Local Honey” featuring twenty-eight original songs written during the Covid pandemic. And did I mention that the Market has added more of those super comfy red Adirondack chairs on the lawn facing the Delaware River? Oh. I cannot wait! According to Johnny Pizzolato “the Farmers Market is more than excited to be back in operation and having added more farmers and small local businesses. These local farms and entrepreneurial businesses still need our support and so far, it has been a very robust growing season so there will be a lot of products available for our shoppers. I am also happy to report that the Barryville Farmers Market has recently hired a new Market Manager, Joan McCoy from Masthope, Pennsylvania. Joan came to the Market as a regular customer and avid supporter and will now be overseeing the operations of the Market for us, and we welcome her into the Barryville Farmers Market community.”

Erin West, the Vice President of the Farmers Market, told me that the physical layout of the Market will be slightly different this season to accommodate the new vendors, but all the CDC guidelines for masks and distancing will be in place to keep everyone safe. For the Opening Day, there will not be a Community Booth but in weeks to come it will be included in the setup of the Market. Also, throughout the pandemic the Barryville Farmers Market raised a very significant amount of funds through donations and even now continues to pay for prepared meals from a not-for-profit organization “A Single Bite” that uses locally sourced fresh healthy foods and distributes their meals through local agencies, including St. Anthony's Food Pantry in Yulan. Donations can be made for the Barryville Farmers Market food programs at the entrance to the Market and on their website. The Farmers Market is held every Saturday during May through October from 10:00a.m. to 1:00p.m. and is located at 3405 NY- Route 97 in the parking area of the Barryville United Methodist Church. The new 2021 BFM cloth shopping bags are now available for $10.00 with all the proceeds going to underwrite the Market's operating expenses and programs. For more information go to barryvillefarmersmarket.org. See you at the Market!