Rye Farmers’ Market Grand Opening July 8

July 5, 2009 by Sara Zoe.

A press release from the Rye Farmers’ Market:

RYE FARMER’S MARKET GRAND OPENING JULY 8TH

Every Wednesday 2:30pm to 6pm

Rye Congregational Church

When the Rye Farmer’s Market has its grand opening on Wednesday July 8th, customers will come to a market that caters to distinctive yet traditional tastes.  The Rye farmer’s Market was formed to offer healthy, locally grown local foods, rejuvenate Rye’s agricultural and seafood heritage and strengthen community bonds in this rural town.

Among the vendors at the market are applecrest Farm and Orchards, Silvery Moon Cheese, Arbor Inn Bakery, White Heron Tea, Buzz Bomb spice blends and café, Hickory Nut Farm, Rye Ridge Nursery, Rye Harbor Lobster, and Seaport fish.

Applecrest, located in Hampton falls, is a family-owned farm that planted its first fruit tree in 1913.  They offer a wide range of fruits, vegetables and baked goods.  “We are all looking forward to their fresh corn”, says Mel Low, who serves on the Rye Farmer’s Market Committee.  Mr. Low himself, known on town for his tomato and vegetable stand, will be bringing his fresh produce to the market.  He will be sharing a stand with Herbie Drake, who also has a large vegetable garden in Rye.

Rye comprises about half of New Hampshire’s seacoast; fishing has a long history in this town.  “The Rye Farmer’s Market would not be complete without seafood”, says Pat Anderson, another member of the Rye Market Committee.  Rye Harbor Lobster will be selling fresh prepared seafood including steamed mussels or clams, lobster rolls and cooked lobsters.  However, if you want to take the lobsters home and cook them yourself, that is also possible.

A pleasant surprise to the Rye farmer’s Committee was the discovery of Arbor Inn Bakery, a Rye based, on-line business selling delicious sweets.   Arbor Inn Bakery is a family owned and operated business in Rye; Joanne Nichols (mother), Michelle Kroitzsh (daughter) and Heather Mann (stepdaughter) are all involved in this busy enterprise.

Their award winning confections are handmade, all natural and contain local ingredients whenever possible.

If you want to send someone a special gift, their desserts can be ordered through their website www.arborinnbakery.com and can be shipped all over the country.

The rye farmer’s market is pleased to have White Heron Tea and Buzz Bomb Spices as vendors.  Both vendors are organic certified.  White heron Tea is best known for their special organic tea blends; owners Jonathan and Joelle Blakesley will also offer prepared foods.  Steve Scatturo of Buzz Bomb will be selling wonderful organic spice blends as well as his gluten-free baked goods that are also available at his new café location on 77 Lafayette Road in North Hampton.  Scatturo is coming to the Market because “it is new, fresh and is going to have the best local products available on the NH seacoast”.

A market is never complete without cheese and meat.  The Committee is pleased to have two very different cheese vendors.  Hickory Nut farm located in Lee, NH brings goat cheese products and goat milk soap to the Rye Market.  While Silvery Moon Creamery from Westbrook, Maine offers a wide variety of raw milk dairy products including camembert, crème fraiche and cheddar cheese.  “What is more delicious than fresh strawberries and crème fraiche!” says Rye’s Mimi White, poet laureate, who has prepared a poem for the opening celebration.

The Rye Market would not be complete without representation from its local buffalo farm.  Sea View Farm, owned and operated by Kim and Roland Brewer will sell their bison meat, as well as poultry.

Rye, an agricultural community, has much to offer its farmer’s market.  A group of small chicken farmers have founded a neighborhood table and are selling their farm eggs.  “Eggs are the most popular product at the market”, Kathy Cavallaro, who has coordinated the egg group, as they are fondly known.  Similarly, several women have formed a baker’s group and offer fresh baked breads, cookies and tortes.  While a third will sell bumper crops of whatever is available in their gardens throughout the year.  “Selling our products among professionals means our nighborhood tables need to provide food of equal quality and appeal”, says Tracy Ritzo, a Committee member and coordinator of the baker’s group.

Another distinctive mark of the Rye Farmer’s Market are the guest table for those vendors who wish to attend once a month, a non-profit table for Rye non-profit organizations and the CHIldren’s Place where youngsters of any age can listen to a story read by Lisa of the Rye Library, learn about gardens, take home a seedling, or simply play together.  Susan Anderson, coordinator of the Children’s Place, says “While parents buy fresh foods or prepared foods from our wonderful vendors, or stop to talk to their friends and neighbors, we want children to feel that the market is a special place for them, as well.”

“The Rye Farmer’s Market is a work in progress and it will be exciting to watch it develop.  Our focus is on community and locally raised food. It is our intention to bring fresh and unique produce to the market while providing a place for sharing our stories.  We are planning a market during the winter, food is part of our lives all year long” Jaci Grote, Rye Farmer’s Market Committee.

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