By Peter Lyons Hall
A trip to the Lakeside Farmers Market in Greenwood Lake offers more than just fresh fruits, vegetables, artisan crafts, and locally produced foods. It provides something increasingly rare in today’s retail environment: direct access to the people who grow, harvest, and produce the products that end up on our tables.
Unlike a supermarket, where produce often arrives with little information beyond a label, farmers markets create opportunities for conversations that reveal the stories behind the food. Visitors can learn firsthand about growing conditions, seasonal challenges, and the dedication required to bring fresh products to market.
That educational experience was on full display during a recent conversation with Jim Kent of Locust Grove Orchard in New York’s Hudson Valley. Kent described the difficult growing season that many regional farmers have faced this year.
“We had a very cold night where the temperature dropped to 26 degrees while everything was in full blossom,” Kent explained. “Just two weeks before that, we had several 90-degree days which pushed the fruit trees’ blossoms out early.”
The dramatic weather swing proved devastating for many fruit growers.
“Most blossoms can’t survive 25 or 26 degrees for a long duration, and unfortunately, a lot of it was wiped out,” he said. Yet despite those challenges, Kent was able to share the fruits that survived and explain the differences between varieties. He pointed out the distinction between tart pie cherries and sweet eating cherries, while also introducing visitors to raspberries and currants, a lesser-known fruit prized for its tangy flavor and versatility in recipes and yogurt.
Such insights are difficult to find elsewhere. Farmers markets allow consumers to understand why some crops may be scarce, why prices fluctuate, and how weather conditions directly affect local agriculture.
The educational value of the market extends beyond farming. During a recent visit, attendees also learned from NASA Ambassador (and Cornell Cooperative Extension Representative), Jim Hall, (one of more than 16 vendors who were there on Saturday) about the upcoming launch of NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, scheduled for August 30 at 11:59 p.m. The next-generation observatory is expected to help scientists explore dark energy, discover distant exoplanets, and deepen our understanding of the universe. Dr. Nancy Grace Roman was an American astronomer who served as NASA’s first Chief of Astronomy and the agency’s first female executive. Widely known as the “Mother of Hubble,” she was the visionary leader who built NASA’s space astronomy program from the ground up and spearheaded the development of the Hubble Space Telescope.
This blend of local agriculture, community conversation, and educational programming demonstrates why the Lakeside Farmers Market remains such an important community resource. It is a place where residents can purchase freshly harvested products while gaining knowledge directly from growers, scientists, artisans, and other experts. In an age of online shopping and anonymous supply chains, that personal connection may be one of the market’s most valuable offerings. To learn more, visit the market on Windermere Ave. on any Saturday, from 9AM-1PM, or click on https://www.growlocalgreenwoodlake.org/lakeside-farmers-market
Photo credit: Peter Lyons Hall
