Farmer's Market Will Remain Open Through December

Good news for fans of the Summit Farmer’s Market: The market will remain open on Sundays through Dec. 20.

Summit Downtown Inc., which runs the market, decided to extend the season several weeks ago in response to popular demand from vendors and customers, said Marin Mixon, the market’s off-site manger.

However, the market will have shortened hours, fewer vendors, and be cancelled in case of very bad weather, Mixon said.  

The market will be held from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. in order to ensure that the lot the market occupies will be available for parking, Mixon said, since many downtown stores will open to shoppers at 11 a.m. or 12 p.m. on Sundays during the holiday season.  

About 10 of the 20 or so vendors will attend the market in December. Among them are organic bakery Ester’s Treats, Cherry Grove Organic Farm, Shore Catch fishmonger, Stefan and Sons Meat Store, Vacchiano Farms, Race Farm, Hoboken Farms and jam producer Peacock Farm.

 Traditionally, the Summit market has ended before Thanksgiving; last year was the first time in the market’s 18-year history that it remained open through December. Farmer’s markets in most other towns closed weeks ago, and this year the Summit market had planned to close in November, in part due to poor weather last year. 

Vendors and shoppers welcomed the extension at the market Sunday, although confusion about how much longer it would last was evident. Posters around Summit had advertised the June to November season.

“Are you here through the rest of the…?” a customer asked Mario Bochna, of Polish foods vendor Stefan and Sons, trailing off with uncertainty as to the market’s end date.  

“We’ll be here ‘til the Sunday before Christmas,” replied Bochna.

Turnout was relatively light Sunday. Bochna attributed part of that to the recent Thanksgiving holiday, noting that many people likely had refrigerators stuffed with leftovers. Several shoppers speculated that the thin crowds were due to lack of awareness about the extended season.

“They should have advertised, because they would get more people,” said Ines Cohron, of Summit. Cohron said she walked towards the market after church and was “pleasantly surprised to find it open.”

“I only found out from the fish man last week,” said shopper Bernadette Hopman, also of Summit. “I said, ‘Have a nice winter,’ and he said he was skipping this week but then he’d be back.” Her husband called her to confirm that it was open Sunday, and she lives close enough to the market lots that she could see the activity there, she said.

Ester Mallach, of organic bakery Ester’s Treats, said she had informed her regular customers of the December market dates.

Summit Downtown Inc. listed the new close date on its Web site and advertisements and will have a sign outside the market this week, Mixon said.

Mallach and other vendors at the market Sunday applauded the extended season.

“We’re thrilled,” said Mallach, who noted that the weather Sunday – blue skies, bright sun, and temperatures in the high 50s - was “maybe nicer than last week.” The other markets she and her partner, Ryan Farrell attend have ended their seasons, and with less time under market stalls, they have spent more time in the kitchen baking up new recipes.

“With a little extra time, we were able to add a few items,” Farrell said.

Bochna said he and his wife are glad to be open, especially since kielbasa and pierogi are big-sellers around Christmas, when people serve the foods at holiday meals. He recalled last year’s extended season with a smile.

“It was miserable weather,” Bochna said. “Two out of the four weekends, it snowed. But people still came out and shopped.”

Mixon said that this year the market would be closed for heavy snow, noting that the markets must be plowed by the city.

“It’s one thing if it’s raining and another thing if it’s a blizzard and a parking lot full of snow,” she said.

Summit Downtown Inc. will have a recorded message at its number, (908) 277-6100, concerning the market’s closure in case of bad weather, she said.

But many customers said they hope to be back each week until the market closes.

“In the snow I’ll come,” said Chris Adams, of North Plainfield. He and his wife, Lisa, both former Summit residents, said they are market regulars; the Summit market is the best around and their favorite place for baby carrots, he said.

“I love it,” said Hopman, who bought apples, bread and vegetables at the Vacchiano Farms stand. “As long as they want to keep it, if they have something to sell, we’ll be here.”