Locals Buy Jersey Fresh at Blairstown Farmers’ Market

BLAIRSTOWN, NJ – Overcast skies on Saturday, August 30, did not diminish the crowd at the Blairstown Farmers Market.

The market, which runs annually during its season in Blairstown, with the last market on Saturday, October 25, takes place each Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Blairstown Farmers Market is located on Stillwater Road next to the Agway and Blairstown Fire Station. Parking is across the street at the Blairstown Elementary School.

Saturday’s vendors included: Apple Ridge Farm, Arena Farms, Best Fruit Farm, Coffee Coops, Gemini Crow Sauce Co., Godlewsky’s Farm, Heaven’s Gate Llama Farm, Kaleidoscope Enrichment, Kimball’s Farm, LL Pittenger Farm, Pickle Licious, Race Farm, Springhouse Creamery, The Stone Oven, Sugh’s Southern Sweets, and Top of the Mountain Honey Bee Farm.

A view of the market from Stillwater Road. Photo by Jennifer Jean Miller.

Bees busy at work at the Top of the Mountain Honey Bee Farm at the Blairstown Farmers’ Market. Photo by Jennifer Jean Miller.

Peppadews, mushrooms, and other items for sampling at the Blairstown Farmers’ Market. Photo by Jennifer Jean Miller.

Visitors to the Blairstown Farmers’ Market visit Sugh’s Southern Sweets and other vendors. Photo by Jennifer Jean Miller.

Lakeside Maple is also a regular participant, but was not at the market this past weekend.

Fusion Zensation, a gourmet food truck with Thai Coffee or Iced Tea, Asian Chicken Wraps, Braised Beef Tacos, Thai Style Pork Salad, Fusion Noodles and more, was also on site.

The market also features weekly live entertainment, with Maribyrd at the microphone on Saturday.

The Foodshed Alliance coordinates this weekly market. NJInsideScene.com visited the Sparta Farmers’ Market recently (click here for article), another market that the Foodshed Alliance coordinates. Sponsors and friends for the Blairstown Market include: Newton Medical Center, RE/MAX Ridge Real Estate, Sunrise Nutrition Center, The Inn at Millrace Pond, Breathing Room, Delia Quigley, Greater Blairstown Business Association, and A-Tech Auto Body.

Each week, the market features a weekly cooking demonstration and guest chef. La Diva Dietician aka Marty Davey attended the event, and whipped up healthy fare for market-goers. La Diva comes dressed for the occasion, with elegantly styled hair, jewel-encrusted glasses, and stylish outfits, as she creates and educates about nutrition. Bellissima Bruschetta (which she topped on a slice of zucchini), Peppy Peach Salsa, and Corn-y Bean Salad, were among her recipe demonstrations. La Diva Dietician gave a “no” response, when NJ Inside Scene inquired if a pepper stuffed with her Corny-y Bean Salad, if cheese tops her recipe, because of the casein protein, which she said has been a cause for breast cancer. She said she comes from a family of breast cancer survivors, and avoids dairy in her recipes. Those who enjoyed her presentation, were amazed the topic of the dangers of dairy as a breast cancer trigger is not talked about often in the mainstream media.

La Diva Dietician educates as she presents about healthful recipes, using Jersey Fresh ingredients. Photo by Jennifer Jean Miller.

The bulk of the items that La Diva Dietician implemented in her recipes were from the Farmers’ Market.

Two of the creations on the menu from La Diva Dietician. Photo by Jennifer Jean Miller.

NJ Inside Scene also had an opportunity to meet Dov Teta, who makes his rounds to many farmers markets in the area, including the Hopatcong Farmers’ Market (click here to read our previous article) and Sussex County Farmers’ Market (click here to read our article). He also takes his Gemini Crow Sauces to the Denville Farmers’ Market.

Teta, who relocated to Northern Sussex County from the Bronx, said about his hot sauce fixation, “I’ve always been a hot sauce freak.”

Dov Teva poses with one of his Gemini Crow sauces. Photo by Jennifer Jean Miller.

Teta said he was seeking a hobby, in addition to his life as a dad to his kids, and starting his Gemini Crow business was it. His business has been open for a year, and he said he began selling publicly at farmers’ markets and car shows six months ago.

With a black crow as his logo and gothic names and fonts on his labels, his sauces include: Blackberry Belle (blackberry and habenero), The Devil His Due (apples and pears, with ghost peppers), burn (salt, vinegar, and hananero peppers), Geminiah’s Fiery Catsup (a ketchup with Datil Peppers), and his hottest sauce, “mrtav,” with a heat level of 10 of 10.

During the market festivities, Kaleidoscope Enrichment was on site. Sandra Roberts, the owner and an educator, said parents often browse the vendors, while kids can visit her booth. On Saturday, children played with a small pool filled with bubbles, creating bubbles with large hoops, and more. Kids could also create special bubble art, by blowing colored bubbles and the impression of the bubbles makes a one-of-a-kind creation.

Kids creating colorful bubble art. Photo by Jennifer Jean Miller.

The purchase at this farmers’ market  for the NJ Inside Scene team was a half a peck of immense Jersey Peaches from Best’s Fruit Farm, a hit with all of  us, and a decent price at $11 for the half peck.

Jersey Fresh Peaches from Best Fruit Farm. Photo by Jennifer Jean Miller.

At this market, and others, attendees will begin to notice the integration of the fall and winter crops, such as pumpkins, and an array of squash.

Pumpkins and an array of squash comprise some of the items for purchase at the Blairstown Farmers’ Market. Photo by Jennifer Jean Miller.

An array of squash types at the market. Photo by Jennifer Jean Miller.

Click here for the Blairstown Farmers’ Market Facebook Page.

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