PLATTSBURG — The Plattsburgh Farmers and Crafters Market is gearing up for a new opening date on Green Street in Harborside, Plattsburgh City.
Starting tomorrow for the fourth consecutive season, the market will call this location home every Saturday from 9am to 2pm until the weekend of October 12th.
During market hours, Green Street will once again transition to one-way traffic, with signs directing drivers to drive around the water recovery facility and exit onto Dock Street.
Opening day plan
Sue Carusone, who has been managing the market for two years, said the opening day will feature live music, about 25 vendors, a food truck called Buns on the Run, and a mobile coffee bar called High Peaks. Brew” is scheduled to open a store.
Carusone said more than 40 different vendors will participate in the market during the season.
Vendors and the products they offer range from fruits and vegetables, woodwork, balloons, wine, jewelry, honey, photography, maple syrup, and more.
“We have a lot of vendors that come here maybe twice or once a month,” she said.
New additions, old favorites
New additions to the market's lineup this year include Little Free Pantry, which accepts gifts of expired and non-perishable canned and boxed food.
The terms of the Little Free Pantry mirror those of the Little Free Library, which started last year, allowing people to exchange books for other books or borrow them for free.
“They can get what they need,” Carusone said of the pantry and library.
“If there's something you want to leave behind for them, that's fine. If not, that's fine.”
Additionally, several market favorites are expected to return for the 2024 season, including:
Power of Produce is a farmer market-based children's program designed to teach children about fruits and vegetables, local food systems, and healthy meal preparation through fun activities. Participate in a market experience where you can pick up recipes and coloring books, talk to farmers, and purchase local produce.
Children will receive a $2 coupon to spend on their favorite food at the market. These vouchers give children purchasing power to buy from farmers and local vendors at the market.
The Snack Shack will sell coffee, water and soda. Snacks and refreshments will also be available, as well as $3 market bags.
leaky roof
Carusone said she is hopeful for good weather this market season. She said the unusual amount of rain that fell last year was an unfortunate challenge they had to deal with.
“Even though we were lucky with the weather, (still) I think it was a good year,” she said. “I hope there will be a little less rain this year.”
The unusually wet summer was compounded by further deterioration of the renovated former Municipal Light Bureau building, which houses several market vendors during the season.
The building is in desperate need of a new roof, and Carusone said she's anxiously waiting for the city to fund repairs to make it more comfortable for customers and vendors, she said.
As it stands, Carusone said he has drawn a red circle around the building to mark the most leaky areas of the roof. This helps vendors know where to put the products they want to sell (often delicate and not water-resistant) and where not to put them.
Contractors are taking extra precautions by planning for dry areas in buildings and covering valuables with water-resistant plastic covers. Carusone said some vendors learned the hard way last year that they needed this to keep their products dry, especially on rainy days.
“I wish it wasn't a lower priority,” Carusone said.
Other issues with the Green Street building include a lack of ventilation, Carusone said. On really hot days in the summer, heat builds up inside the building, she said.
To remedy the situation, they applied for Clinton County's annual Tobacco Settlement Fund.
In this year's funding round, Plattsburgh Farmers Market asked for $10,750 and received $2,900.
“Anything would be helpful,” Carusone said.
repair
An April 4 work session discussed the future of the farmers market building between the Common Council and Public Works Director Mike Bessette, but it did not bode well for future repairs to the building.
Bessette said during the discussion that “low-budget, short-term roof repairs” would cost the city between $110,482.70 and $132,579.24. By comparison, a “long-term, high-end roof replacement” will cost him anywhere from $250,212.29 to $300,254.75.
“There are really no cheap options. You're putting money into bad projects. I hate to say it, but I wish I could put it more kindly…” Bessette said.
He said the city has tried to repair the roof by patching it, but that method has so far proven to be “laborious.”
“My recommendation was always to demolish the building,” he said. “But this isn't my place.”
Councilwoman Julie Vaughn (D-1st District), a former farmer's market manager, proposed the idea of only having tents at the market. Currently, some vendors are setting up tents outside, but many are using enclosed spaces inside farmers market buildings.
Mr Bourne said he was at one point in favor of holding a closed market, noting that it was difficult for many older businesses to have to set up tents every week. But now, sitting on the council's side, she said she sees it differently from a cost standpoint.
Vaughn also pointed out the Keene farmers market and how well it's doing despite the fact that it's all set up in tents in a windswept field.
darky street
Previously, the market was held in the Durkee Street parking lot until the city moved the market to the Green Street location in 2021. The move was made to accommodate Prime Plattsburgh LLC's proposed residential development project for the Durkee Street parking lot.
However, the project remains embroiled in litigation and has not been developed since. Some have suggested moving the market back to Durkee Street.
In Vaughn's opinion, building there would have been better than the waterfront building where the market is now.
“The leak wasn't as bad, the air was coming through and it was much better.”
City Councilman Jeff Moore (D-6th District) said one of the problems with the area is that it's too small.
Asked about the Durkee Street location, Carusone said he would not be in favor of moving the market back there if presented with the option. She said she likes where she is now, but just wants the building fixed up.
“I like the fact that there's a lot of parking (here). There's plenty of space. I don't know about Durkee Street. I think I was on Durkee Street for about a year and then Corona hit. It happened. And it was smaller inside, the booths were smaller,” she said.
“When events were held there, it got very crowded and there was no place to park. I think we need a larger space like this. You won't find it downtown, and you'll be more confined downtown.” ”
