The much-anticipated debut of Bridgeport Farmers Market’s outdoor summer season is Sunday and a record number of opening day vendors are on board.

 

“We have 45 vendors,” said Debbie Workman of the BFM board of directors. “I think last year we had as many as 48 or 50 but that was during our highest peak and not opening day.”

 

Nearly four dozen vendors means market patrons will have a wide variety of products from which to choose.

 

“We’ll have seasonal produce such as strawberries, spring greens and lettuce,” Workman said. “We’ll also have farm-raised meat and farm-fresh eggs, as well as bakers, artisan products and lots of potted plants and flowers.”

 

Among new vendors for the 2017 season are Radabaugh Farms out of Upshur County. The vendor’s specialty product, Workman said, is sorghum syrup.

 

“It’s a very intense process to turn sorghum into syrup,” said Workman about the cereal grain that grows tall and in addition to sweetening is used primarily in the U.S. for livestock feed, among other purposes.

 

Sorghum syrup, which has a taste along the lines of molasses, is a new product to Bridgeport Farmers Market.

 

Another new vendor this season is “Knot Just Art,” an artisan which utilizes woodturning – using a wood lathe, a mechanism similar to a potter’s wheel, to create his wares, including wooden bowls.

 

Returning artisans include, among several others, Jug Head Pottery, Z&Z Woodcrafters, Pretty Pickle jewelry and Way Way Beads custom-made bracelets.

 

The market will also feature a record number of brunch vendors. Bridgeport Conference Center, Hash Browns & New Grounds, Froggy Dale Farms, Tyme Bistro, My Little Cupcake and Rural Roots will all be on hand offering their specialty food items for purchase.

 

“My Little Cupcake will not only have cupcakes, but also lunch items like chicken salad, (tossed) salads and pepperoni rolls,” Workman said. “Froggy Dale Farms will have their barbeque trailer and our new food vendor – Rural Roots – will be doing grass-fed beef burgers with seasonal toppings.”

 

Run by Patrick Lesmann, Rural Roots is associated with Poth Farms, a Bridgeport-based operation. The fourth-generation farm grows various vegetables and herbs which are part of the regular offerings of BFM.

 

Contributing to the atmosphere will be live music performed by Hillary Kay. The University of Michigan graduate is known for her bluegrass tunes, Workman said.

 

A chef’s demo will begin at noon featuring Chef Pam Stevens of Mia Margherita.

 

“We’ll also, of course, be registering children for our POP – Power of Produce – Club, which begins in June,” Workman said. “We encourage people to come to the yellow pop-up tent to register.”

 

Registered members of POP receive market tokens which can be used to purchase products from the market, Workman said.

 

“They do use the vouchers and sometimes it introduces a whole family to something new,” she said.

 

Last summer season, nearly 400 area children were part of the POP Club.

 

The market will also be selling tickets to the Second Annual Wild and Wonderful Farm-to-Table dinner fundraiser to be held Sept. 23 in Harrison County.

 

The market will be open Sunday and each Sunday thereafter from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Charles Pointe. This week’s outdoor market debut will be the first time the market has moved into its new home, the parking lot of the new Greater Bridgeport Convention and Visitors Bureau building. It is located just beside the grounds previously utilized for the market, Workman said.

 

With all that it has to offer, Bridgeport Farmers Market is a true destination market with plenty of browsing opportunity, Workman said.

 

Stay up to date at bridgeportfarmersmarket.com and follow Bridgeport Farmers Market on Instagram and Twitter.