Hello again, faithful Bridgeport Farmers Marketeers! We’re back for Season #7 of everyone’s favorite Farmers Market. In preparing for the opening blog of the new season I happened to look back at last year’s opening edition. In that one I stated with breathless excitement (breathless excitement is my specialty, by the way) that the Market would be opening with a record 30 vendors. Well, today will see that record fall as somehow we will be fitting 40 vendors into our space at Charles Pointe! This means that by the mid-summer peak of the growing season when all of our farmers will be coming on a regular basis the Market will, most assuredly, go over the 50 vendor mark.

 

One area where you will see some new faces is around our dining hub. The Market is pleased to introduce two unique food choices this season. First, Chef Emily Smith-Zimmerman of Morgantown will be bringing her new bagel concept, West Virginia 00Bagel, to the Market. In addition to a variety of bagels, Emily will be offering bagel sandwiches featuring locally-sourced products. You Market regulars may remember Emmy from a fantastic Chef’s demo (more on those later) she pulled off last season for Morgantown restaurant Atomic Grill. I’ll leave you with two words about Emmy: Sriracha Bagel. Now you can’t say you weren’t warned.

 

Our second new food vendor is another face that may be familiar to Market regulars. Buck Edwards of Buckhannon has been a perennial contestant in our Country Roads Cook-Off. This season he will be fixing up Gourmet Hot Dogs for Market patrons. From what I understand Buck has dreamed up quite a roster of exotic hot dog toppings. All proceeds from his venture will be going to a new non-profit that Buck founded, Inspiring WV, that encourages young people to become entrepreneurs. See http://inspiringwv.org/

 

In addition to Emmy and Buck, both the Bridgeport Conference Center and Chef Cody Thrasher’s food truck, Hash Browns and New Grounds, will be returning to the Market’s food hub. Grab some grub, sit a spell, and enjoy some al-fresco dining at the Market today!

 

One last thing to add in the food and drink category and this one is very exciting. For six years the Market has screamed out for a local coffee roaster to set up shop. Well, BHS grad Sam Bonasso has stepped up to the plate. Quantum Bean Coffee is Sam’s concept and I think you’ll agree it’s been worth the wait. Sam is roasting fair-trade, single origin coffee beans from all over the world. At the Market he’ll be offering up both pour-over and iced coffees as well as bags of beans to take home. Since Sam has offered to set up early and make coffee for the volunteer set up crew I’ll speak here for all of us: Sam, you’ve got about a dozen new best friends!

 

OK, I lied. There is just one more little thing to add on the food front. Are you ready….it’s HOMEMADE Ice Cream! Yeah, you can scream now. See My Little Cupcake today for the debut of their newest product. I’ll let today’s flavors be a little surprise for ya.

 

And after you’re finished in the dining tents look out for the Market’s yoga maven, Meg Shaver of Weston Yoga. Meg will be holding some impromptu yoga sessions around the Market today. Don’t forget your mat, sunscreen, and a towel!

 

Last year BFM board member Dave High took on the challenge of scheduling Chef’s Demos every Sunday at the Market. It proved to be one of the most popular features we’ve ever offered. So this year, thanks to the generous support of Halstead Insurance Agency, our Chef’s Demos will be even bigger and better. We’ll be featuring even more of the area’s best restaurants and chefs using fresh, local ingredients. Our opening day Chef is a returning champion, Executive Chef Tim Goots of Mia Margherita. All the demos start at noon so get there early for a ring-side viewing position. 

 

And back under the Market Music Tent, sponsored by Deep Roots Productions and Ryan Management Group, is our favorite guitarist Rus Reppert. Rus has some fresh new musicians as well as our old favorites, The Masons, lined up for the tent this season so stay tuned here each week to see who will be taking the stage, er, tent!

 

Until next week, Stay Fresh!

 

The Bridgeport Farmers Market Association is the seven member all volunteer board of directors that governs the Bridgeport Farmers Market. It is supported by a wonderful group of community volunteers who help in the setup and maintenance of the market. For more information on the Farmers Market or to see how you can help please e-mail us at bridgeportfarmersmarket@yahoo.com or, better yet, LIKE us on Facebook and follow us on both Twitter and Instagram. You can also check out the Market’s own YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/BridgeportFarmersMkt or for more BFM video content you can now go to http://vimeo.com/bridgeportfarmersmarket/videos