Farmers-markets season starts in our town this Saturday.
That’s opening day for the WesBanco Uptown Mt. Lebanon Farmers Market [1], which sets up in the Washington Road business district from 9 a.m. to noon each Saturday until sometime in mid-October, depending on how the local produce is running. The market is sponsored by the Mt. Lebanon Partnership.
Its events coordinator, Jonquil Place resident Carla Clipper, has a bunch of new vendors and returning vendors and ideas for involving local businesses with demonstrations and activities (fitness, cooking, flower arranging, DIY projects, book signings, etc.). This past weekend she still wasn’t sure where specifically the vendors would be located.
She still could add weekly vendors, as well as vendors who just pay to appear for one day, but the lineup looks like this:
The new vendors:
Blackberry Meadows Farm
Devorah Naturals (soap and body care)
Goodlife Juices
The Greek Kitchen
J&D Cellars (winery)
Kous Kous
Naturally Clean (cleaning products)
Orthodox Cuisine
Pittsburgh Pawtisserie
The returning vendors:
Arlia’s Apiary
Cinco de Mayo Salsa
Kern Farms
Logan Family Farms
Najat’s Cuisine
Mediterra Bakehouse
Olive & Marlowe (olive oil)
Quiroz Farm
Seven Creeks Roadside Spring
Simmons Farm
Tupelo Honey Teas
Zrimm’s Farm
For more, you can visit the website or follow the market on Facebook [2]. (The poster is one of three designed for this season by Adeline Avenue resident Daniel Pipetone.)
Our other farmers market, billing itself as the “original Mt. Lebanon” one, opens on June 3 and runs from 4 to 7 p.m. every Wednesday through October at Mt. Lebanon United Lutheran Church, 975 Washington Road (at Cochran Road). That’s the Mt. Lebanon Lions Farmers Market. [3]
Market organizers Frank Zitibrosky and Deanna Bartelme report that while they lost two vendors, they’re gaining at least five new ones:
Millie’s Ice Cream (homemade ice cream from former Salt of the Earth chef Chad Townsend)
The Pie Place (desserts, but no pies, since Sand Hill Berries sells pies)
Emerald Valley Cheese
Out of the Fire (salmon)
Naturally Clean (cleaning products)
The last is a bit of a departure, as previously the market has focused only on edibles.
“Our motto has always been ‘Make it, bake it, or grow it yourself, locally,’ ” Ms. Bartelme says.
She’s always looking for vendors that don’t duplicate what the market already offers, but the full list of returning vendors for now is:
Matthews Family Farm
The Wood Street Bread Co. Nellies (Middle Eastern foods)
Tim Wu’s Shaved Ice
Pisarcik Greenhouse (flowers and veggies)
Paul’s Orchard
Blue Bird Farm (certified organic fruits/veggies)
Cookies n Critters (fudge and more)
Gosias Pierogies
Dillner Family Farms
Cinco de Mayo (salsas)
Bates and Hayes Concessions (kettle korn, lemonade)
Bad Azz BBQ (chicken, ribs, pulled pork)
Sand Hill Berries (jams, jellies, pies)
Logan’s Family Farm (dry-aged beef)
Ohio City Pasta
How lucky we are to have two great farmers markets in Mt. Lebanon.
I can’t wait.