Plentiful flowers, along with some early fruit and vegetables, will be available on Public Square in Downtown Wilkes-Barre when the Farmers Market opens for the season on Thursday.
Times Leader file photo
Opening day is June 24
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Jagger’s Doggy Deli is on the list of vendors who will be returning to the Wilkes-Barre Farmers Market.
Times Leader file photo
Several farmers said they’ll be selling flowers on Thursday, the opening day of the Wilkes-Barre Farmers Market. Some of them also expect to bring spinach, radishes, cherry tomatoes, sweet cherries, sour cherries, blueberries, brown egg, herbs and vegetable plants.
Times Leader file photo
Blueberries, cherries, cherry tomatoes.
Fresh spinach, brown eggs, cider doughnuts.
Potted herbs, jams and jellies, plenty of flowers.
You can expect to find all those treats on Wilkes-Barre’s Public Square starting at 10 a.m. Thursday, June 24, when the annual Farmers Market opens for the season.
And in contrast to last year’s market, which was limited because of the pandemic to farmers with produce, this year’s market welcomes back vendors with prepared food, including purveyors of potato pancakes, gyros, pizza, and baked goods.
“I’ll have the Kalamata olive bread, sour dough and all the usual cookies and scones,” Michael Bonczar from Beta Bread in Clarks Summit said earlier this week.
“Every year this is something everybody looks forward to,” Melissa Kessler from Kessler’s Orchards in Berwick said of the Wilkes-Barre Farmers Market. “It’s good to see the familiar faces.”
For Thursday’s opening day, Kessler said her mom, Molly Kessler, would bring jams and jellies and salsa as well as cut flowers, hanging baskets, vegetable plants and herbs.
“We’ll have cherry tomatoes, not a pile, but some,” she said, noting the Kessler stand also will feature brown eggs, “one of our most popular items.”
At the O’Malia stand, farmer Larry O’Malia from Plains said, “veggie wise, we’re going to have spinach and radishes. We’re going to bring a lot of flowers and veggie plants and herbs.”
“The farm is looking nice now,” he said, reflecting that “May was like a roller coaster ride with some nice stretches and some rough, cold stretches where we didn’t think it was suitable to do planting. Then when it got really nice we were exceptionally busy at the greenhouse.”
And if you like fruit, you’ll probably want to visit the Brace Orchard stand, where Linda Brace Mancinelli said she expects the staff will have sweet cherries, sour cherries, blueberries, a few early peaches and a variety of apples for sale, along with candy apples, cider and cider doughnuts.
“It’s supposed to be nice weather,” she said. “We’re really looking forward to it.”
Mayor George C. Brown will officially open the Farmers Market at 10 a.m. Thursday and Geisinger’s John Shemo will sing the national anthem. Geisinger is a sponsor of this year’s Farmers Market.
The market will continue every Thursday through Nov. 18, from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. or until the produce runs out.
Farmers who will participate this year, according to a news release, include: Brace’s Orchard, Broyan’s Farm Produce, Dream Green Farm, Dymond Farm & Farm Markets, Golomb’s Farm & Greenhouse, Hoagland Farms, Kesslers Orchards, Larry O’Malia Farm & Greenhouses, Rowland’s Pennsylvania Produce, The Beekeeper’s Daughter and Zimmerman Farms.
Food vendors include Boyer Brothers BBQ, El Rey Azteca, Geraldo’s Fresh Baked Pizza, Lou’s Concessions, Mr. P’s Potato Pancakes, Notis The Gyro King, Sammy’s Caribbean Grill, Tony Thomas Deli & Catering, Webby’s Concessions and Yogi’s Potato Pancakes.
Other vendors on the list include Beta Bread Bakery, Cakes By Gail, Candy Queen, Creek View Bakery, Favorite Flavors, Jagger’s Doggy Deli, The Rock Shop and Xiuzhu Zhang.
In addition, the Wilkes-Barre Health Department Vaccine Trailer will be at the Farmers Market to administer COVID-19 vaccines. Those who are vaccinated at the market will receive $15 in vouchers to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables.