Bike Rodeo at the Market

Bike Rodeo

This Sunday, June 1, the Brighton Farmers’ Market welcomes the annual Bike Rodeo!  Ride your bike to the Market and bring the kids. TheBrighton Police Department will join us to help kids test their riding skills, get a bike safety checkup, and learn the rules of the road. There will be free bike helmets for kids, donated by the Brighton Police Patrolman’s Association, and two bikes will be raffled off.  R Community Bikes will accept bike donations; see more about this great local organization here. The Rodeo runs from 10 to noon.

This Week at the Market

Farmers have had a challenging spring; many report that the chilly, wet weather slowed plantings and growth.  But the recent warmer weather has given them a boost, and lots of great fresh produce will be available at the Market this week. Lagoner Farms will have asparagus, rhubarb, arugula, rappi,  kale, radish, apples, and apple sauces and jam. Andy’s Specialty Garlic & Produce will have certified organic colorful lettuce bunches, spinach, radishes, turnips, multicolored chard, garlic powder, and frozen butternut squash.

Lighthouse Gardens will have the first certified organic cherry tomatoes of the season, plus a large selection of certified organic herbs, vegetable starts, patio tomatoes, salad bowls, mixed herb plants as well as berry plants, bedding plants, premium annuals, hanging baskets, and organic compost-based potting soil, perfect for container gardens or amending raised beds. Shannon Brook Farm is featuring organically-fed, pasture-raised picnic hams. Honeyhill Farm is bringing bouquets of a dozen varieties of mixed lettuces and the first fresh, pasture-raised chicken of the season, certified organic.

Organic Matters Farm will have Jersey asparagus. We welcome new vendor Buzz’s Garden, offering lettuce, pac choy, Hakurei turnips, spinach, and radishes. Fisher Hill Farm will have asparagus, rhubarb, spring mix, Swiss chard, radishes, green garlic, fresh chicken (whole and half), eggs, and Red Jacket juices, plus potatoes, onions, rutabaga, carrots, parsnips, and beets from storage.

Ann’s Purple Produce returns with lots of unusual perennials, annuals, herbs, old-time favorite pansies, including small gift pansy baskets, along with purple asparagus and lupine bouquets. Lakestone Family Farm will have certified organic eggs, fresh whole chickens, plus fresh-cut boneless breasts, thigh quarters, wings, livers, necks and hearts; Denis will also have radishes and baby Swiss chard.

Bolton Farms is bringing hydroponic butterhead bibb, lettuce bouquets, spring mix, Swiss chard, kale, arugula, escarole, watercress, tatsoi, spinach, micro greens, parsley, cilantro, and basil, plus some soil-grown English cukes. Allens Hill Farm will have fodder-fed meat rabbits, free-range chicken eggs, and aquaponically grown basil (Genovese, Thai, and lemon), cilantro, and parsley. Growing Family Farms will have rainbow chard, kale, Asian greens, green garlic, fresh and dried shiitakes, soil-grown greenhouse cucumbers, free-range eggs, and tart cherry juice from Singer Naturals.

Seaway Trail Honey will have honeycomb and pure, local seasonal honey. Happy Hooves Organic Farm is bringing organic no-soy chickens in all sizes, chicken parts, no-soy organic chicken eggs, organic no-soy pasture-raised pork cuts, and certified organic 100% grass-fed and finished beef cuts. Eat Me Ice Cream is offering spring garden ice cream sandwiches: asparagus & chive ice cream with rhubarb ice cream on black pepper shortbread; they will also have the Hug Up — chocolate, vanilla, and sprinkles — plus coconut-mint ice candy, and pints of lilac ice cream.

Nordic Farm has lots of fresh jams and jellies and some chili peach to be used for chutney, made with Growing Family Farm dried chilies. Wohlschlegel’s Naples Maple Farm will have light (with a unique hint of vanilla),  medium and extra dark syrup, along with maple sugar and maple cream. Small World Food will have country multigrain break, spicy kimchi, fermented garlic paste, and granolas (bring your jars for refills). Flour City Pasta has jalapeno fettuccine again.

JonJohn’s Bakery is featuring decadent chocolate brownies, coconut-almond balls, grandma’s breakfast cake, and some special fan requests. Fruition Seeds will have organic seeds and garden plants cultivated in Naples for upstate gardens.  Community Composting will offer sign-ups for its compost pick-up and delivery service.

Also at the Market

Brighton High School A Capella and Jazz Combo will perform. Cornell Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners will answer gardening questions. ColorBrightonGreen.org will collect recycling items; check here for items they are currently able to accept and recycle. The group is also looking for more volunteers to help with these collections; please consider helping this good cause.  Please consider donating food or funds to the Brighton Food Cupboard.

Kids can stop by the Good Grub Club tent to get the free new booklet cover for this year’s Club.

The Brighton Farmers’ Market is sponsored by the Town of Brighton. Check out summer program offerings from the Town of Brighton Recreation Department at www.townofbrighton.org/rec. More information about the market can be found at www.brightonfarmersmarket.org or on the Market’s Facebook page.

See you Sunday!