Friday farmers market planned in Schenectady

PHOTOGRAPHER: Ned Campbell

Share on Facebook

Save

Schenectady has another farmers market and it will be open Friday afternoons.

The Sheridan Plaza Farmers Market at 1338 Gerling St. will run from 2 to 6 p.m. every Friday through the end of September, rain or shine, the Schenectady County Legislature announced Wednesday.

The market is the third location for the county’s Schenectady Farmers Market, which also runs a market from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. every Thursday outside City Hall and, beginning in July, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesdays at St. Luke’s Church on State Street.

The new market opens Friday.

“Schenectady County is proud to bring locally grown produce and plants to another community in Schenectady County,” Legislature Chairman Tony Jasenski said in a news release. “The county will continue to support our local farming community every week through the farmers markets and I encourage all of our residents to come down to City Hall, St. Luke’s Church and now Sheridan Plaza and discover all the great things our local growers have to offer.”

Schenectady is also home to the Schenectady Greenmarket from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Sunday by City Hall and in Belleveue from 4 to 7 p.m. every Thursday at 2176 Broadway.

Jennifer Wilkerson, a founding board member of the Greenmarket, said she doesn’t see the new market as competition.

“We’re thrilled,” she said. “The more opportunity for local food the better, both for our vendors and our customers.”

The Sheridan Plaza market could benefit from being open Fridays, she said, in that it could attract people looking to stock up on produce before the weekend.

This month, the market will offer produce, flowering baskets, houseplants and vegetable seedlings for home gardeners. Strawberries, maple syrup, homemade baked goods and small-batch jams will also be available and as the growing season continues, additional farmers and vendors are expected to join the market.

The market participates in the Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program and shoppers can use EBT, cash, credit and debit cards for their purchases.

The market is served by CDTA bus routes 351 and 352, with a nearby stop at the Lancaster and Gerling Street intersection. Free parking is also available at the plaza.