Paley’s Farm Market opens season, signaling start of spring

SHARON, Conn. — For many local residents, spring doesn’t truly begin until Paley’s Farm Market opens its doors, and customers turned out in force for its 44th season opening on Saturday, March 28.

Located on Amenia Road in Sharon, Paley’s is a seasonal destination for residents of New York and Connecticut and, over the past four decades, has evolved from a locally grown produce center into a full-scale garden center, farm market and fine food market.

Despite a chilly start to the day, the opening drew a steady crowd, with a full parking lot and early signs of the busy season ahead.

“It’s been going really well,” said owner Sarah Coon, who purchased the business from her brother in 2019. “It’s chilly, but we’ve had a nice turnout. The sun’s out, and that always helps.”

Mimi Harson of Sharon and Anette Cantilli of Millbrook shared an outing together to purchase flowers and plants for their deck pots.

“It’s exciting, we love Paley’s,” Cantilli said of the opening day as she filled her car trunk with pansies.

Behind the scenes, opening day is the culmination of months of preparation – much of it beginning long before winter has fully loosened its grip.

“We open our first greenhouse in early February, and that’s when the fun begins,” Coon said. “We start planting pansies then, and once you open that greenhouse, you’re committed. It’s like having a bunch of babies out there – you have to make sure nothing goes wrong.

This year’s opening comes after a particularly snowy winter that, just weeks ago, left the property covered in large mounds of snow.

“I looked around and thought, ‘I don’t know if we’re going to be able to open on time,’” Coon said. “There was snow everywhere. It was hard to even imagine. But here we are.”

Early spring offerings include rows of colorful pansies grown from seed, along with cold-tolerant vegetable starts, herbs and Easter-ready planters designed for patios and entryways. Bulbs such as daffodils and tulips are also available, along with seeds, soil and gardening supplies.

“It’s not too early,” she said of the growing season. “You can start seeds indoors now, even just on a windowsill. And if it doesn’t work, you can always come back and getplants.”

While the market’s popular prepared foods and grocery offerings will arrive later in the season, the early weeks focus on planting and preparation. Dry goods are expected in the coming weeks, followed by a gradual buildout of the full market.

New this year, Paley’s has partnered with Homegrown National Park, a national initiative promoting the use of native plants. The collaboration will help customers more easily identify native species to incorporate into their gardens.

“We think it’s going to be good for our staff and our customers,” she said. “It makes it easier for people to mix native plants into what they’re already doing.

Paley’s typically operates through mid-October, employing up to a dozen staff members at the height of the season, along with part-time and retired workers who assist with planting and maintenance.

For many, the opening marks more than just the start of a business cycle – it’s a seasonal ritual.

“We all need a little color right now,” Coon said. “And a little warmth. It’s coming.”