Farmers Market offers villagers winter’s bounty

MILLERTON — There is something of a chill in the air at the North East Community Center’s (NECC) Winter Farmers Market, which has moved from the lawn of the Methodist Church at the corner of Dutchess Avenue and Main Street to its  interior, but the warmth between customers and vendors is still in  evidence. 

Leela Dinunzio, owner of Coco’s Crumbs, who had been who has been selling her home baked goods with the market for some 11 years,  agrees.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s cold.  They [our customers] love  shopping that way and catching up with friends and chatting with us,” she said.

The unique nature of the market draws her customers back time after time. 

“Where can you shop where you can talk to the person who baked the cake or made the bread or made the cheese or had the idea to grow this vegetable this year -— and it’s a certain heirloom?” asked Dinunzio.

Appreciating the market and its customers, she said, “It’s such a nice experience for everybody. They love to chat with the vendors and see how we made something. Or they may want a recipe. Or they give us ideas.” 

Those ideas may be about how the customers do things when they make an item similar to that which is being sold, which Dinunzio, in turn, will share with her other customers.

“We have some wonderful, wonderful customers,” she said, noting how much fun there is to be had at the market. “They’re so nice and they’re caring and sometimes they’ll bring you something to try.” 

She recalled a woman who brought her a bowl of food from an Indian vendor because she wasn’t able to leave her booth to taste the treat.  

While the majority of her sales do occur at the farmers market, Dinunzio does sometimes receive calls for special orders, which she then delivers to customers, typically in the market parking lot. 

Although there is a slow down during the winter, this former restaurant worker said she recognizes that’s part of a normal trend and expects that with warmer weather, things will again pick up. As a plus, Dinunzio said, “This year so many new people have found us. I think we’re all so grateful.”

John Nowak, director of the NECC Winter Farmers Market, noted that it has continued operating throughout the COVID-19 crisis because it was recognized as an essential service. All safety requirements, including social distancing and mask usage are strictly enforced. 

Nowak said as a result of the regulations, NECC cannot have as many vendors participate as it normally would. But in order to help those sellers who are not among the six allowed on any given Saturday the market is open, those in attendance willingly sell items for those who are not included that day.

While there are some staples that are sold on a regular basis, special items add variety to the experience.

The winter market is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the second and fourth Saturdays. Go to www.necc.squarespace.com/farmers-market-vendors-winter for a full listing of winter vendors and their offerings; call Dinunzio at 518-789-3761 for bakery orders from Coco’s Crumbs.