With the Lewes and Rehoboth farmers markets now in full swing, it’s only a matter of time before the Bethany Beach and Fenwick Island markets follow suit. Later this month, the two will reintroduce their vendors for the 2011 season, which will run from June 26 through early September for both.
The Bethany Beach location, at the corner of Garfield Parkway and Pennsylvania Avenue, and the Fenwick Island location, in the grass lot next to Dairy Queen on the east side of Coastal Highway in Fenwick, are both celebrating their fifth year bringing fresh crops and farm goods from area growers to farmers market shoppers.
With some new names popping up, as well as a slew of returning favorites, patrons will be able to get their hands on everything this summer season, from corn, peaches and berries to fresh brown eggs, breads and honey, and everything in between.
“There is definitely a character that we want to bring with the farmers market,” said Dan Costello, president of the Bethany Beach market.
The Bethany market has become an area-wide tradition, and last year’s debut of the cooking demonstrations gave patrons an up-close and personal look at how local produce can be incorporated into meals.
Jean and Steve Wode have been instrumental in organizing the cooking demos at the Bethany Beach market location.
“The food demos started last year,” explained Costello. “We had someone on our board bring up the idea after noticing other markets were doing something similar. It gives customers something to look forward to, and it allows chefs and restaurant owners to interact directly with the visitors. The chef shows up, does a little shopping at the stands and puts together a great meal.
“Jean and Steve Wode have done a great job organizing the demos,” Costello added. “There’s a lot involved to make these expos really work, and everybody really seems to enjoy them.”
The Bethany Beach Farmers Market will also be able to accommodate more visitors this year, after the town expanded parking into the lot next to the market’s location over the winter.
“Having a little more space for the market will be nice,” said Costello. “It may give vendors a little more elbow room, but we’re hoping it will enlarge the central concourse of the market. On some of the Sundays, it could get a little crowded.”
Although the Fenwick Island Farmers Market has traditionally not had as much foot traffic as the Bethany Beach market has seen, Ellen Magee, head of the Fenwick market, is hoping that the warm spring and summer season that have yielded plentiful crops will, in turn, bring in more buyers.
“We’ve had an awfully dry season this spring,” she said, “but it’s definitely looking good. The heat will bring on a lot of the crops a little early. Our sweet corn ought to be ready in a couple of weeks. All of our planning is coming along really well.”
One of the exclusive Fenwick Island vendors returning to the scene is John Sapienza, with Sap’s Pudding. While his traditional vanilla-flavor pudding, made from local dairy products, is among his best-selling, and his raisin and brown sugar rice pudding quickly became a hot commodity, too.
“This year,” he noted, “I’m looking to bring a sugar-free pudding with an all-natural sweetener. I have been looking at flavors like banana, too, and I’ll be offering some of my crème brûlée, as well.”
Many of the same suppliers will overlap at both the Bethany and Fenwick markets, including Good Earth Market, a local favorite.
“By the time these markets roll around,” said Sue Ryan of Good Earth, who has been busy with the Lewes farmers market as well, “we ought to have a lot of blueberries, and customers love them. We will also have snow peas, squash, cucumbers, cut flowers, tomatoes and more. The season’s coming early, and it’s very exciting to see things starting to come up.”
The Bethany Beach Farmers Market will run every Sunday, from June 26 until Sept. 11, while the Fenwick Island Farmers Market will run twice a week, on Mondays and Fridays through early September, starting on June 27. Both locations will operate from 8 a.m. until noon at their respective locations.
New this year, there is a farmers market at the Marketplace at Sea Colony, each Wednesday through Aug. 31.
For more information about the local farmers markets, including upcoming cooking demonstrations, new farmers and more, stay up-to-date with the Coastal Point. For particular details about the Bethany Beach and Fenwick Island markets, visit www.bethanybeachfarmersmarket.com and www.fenwickislandfarmersmarket.com.
