Family and friends enjoy pizza from Tony Baloney’s at the Margate Fall Farmers Market.
By NANETTE LoBIONDO GALLOWAY
MARGATE – Hundreds of holiday shoppers turned out Sunday to sample the wares, sustainably sourced food items and Jersey fresh produce at Steve & Cookies By The Bay restaurant. The market was held in the veranda at the popular restaurant and shoppers enjoyed libations at the Oyster Bar.
Business was brisk at the vegetable stands, which featured seasonal produce including beets, winter squashes and hearty greens.
Denise Deckard of Margate purchased multi-colored beets and carrots for her Thanksgiving table. Also on her menu will be Boston lettuce and her favorite, watermelon radishes and radicchio, all purchased from Potato Homestead, a family farm in Sewell that specializes in sustainable farming practices.
“This is my first time coming to the fall market, but I come every Thursday during the summer,” she said. “I love it that the same vendors are here today. It’s a wonderful event.”
Bonnie Lacovara of Somers Point promised to purchase something nice for her granddaughter Charlie Bodine, age 7. The two were shopping for food for their Thanksgiving table as well, Lacovara said.
Like Deckard, it was her first time at the fall market.
“I have never been here in the fall before because we are usually in Florida at this time of year,” Lacovara said. “I thought it was going to be outside on such a beautiful day. But it’s great that it’s indoors too. This is a great opportunity to come out and enjoy the day. Cookie (Till) always does wonderful things for the community.”
Some of the regular Thursday morning vendors were there selling some of the Margate Community Farmers Market favorites, including homemade pastas from The Red Room cafe in Ventnor, and artisan pizzas from Tony Baloney’s in Atlantic City. Lazy Eye distillery of Richland and Wildwood provided tastings of their barrel aged spirits and vodka made from grapes.
One of the tables was displaying garden ornaments made from rusty old bicycle parts. They were being sold to raise money for a nonprofit organization working to revive the Hydrangea Trail in Atlantic City and elsewhere on Absecon Island.
Elsa Sanchez of Atlantic City said she would bring the display to Till’s organic farm and animal sanctuary in Egg Harbor Township on Dec. 9, when a pop-up holiday market will be held. The market will feature local vendors, festive holiday treats and baby animals from Misty Meadows sheep farm. The pop-up will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Reed’s Farm, 5075 Spruce Ave.
Vendors will include Atlantic Leather Works, Liv Smith Designs, Sue Van Duyne Pottery, That Crafty Family, Pine Barrens Post, Meraki Farms, Candace’s Canvasses, South Jersey Smokehouse, Featherbed Farms, Leah Herbal Line, Misty Meadows, Faith Flower Farms, Meredith Wray Photography and Mermaid Metals Jewelry.
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