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Sparta Farmers Market opens for season

| 25 May 2017 | 03:45
    Participating yoga students, Yoga Youniverse teachers and goats pose for a photo opportunity last Saturday morning at Sparta Farmers Market. 
    Participating yoga students, Yoga Youniverse teachers and goats pose for a photo opportunity last Saturday morning at Sparta Farmers Market. 
    A Goat Yoga class at Sparta Farmers Market led by Yoga Youniverse owner and teacher Dorota Ellington.
    A Goat Yoga class at Sparta Farmers Market led by Yoga Youniverse owner and teacher Dorota Ellington.
    Chef Ken Salmon of Upstream Grille uses farmer market ingredients to create Montreal-crusted, Mangalista Pork over farro with turnips and ramp hash.
    Chef Ken Salmon of Upstream Grille uses farmer market ingredients to create Montreal-crusted, Mangalista Pork over farro with turnips and ramp hash.
    Wild Leaf Active Tea is being sold for the first time at Sparta Farmers Market.  Founder/Owner Susan Parnell with her friend and helper Adela Williams.
    Wild Leaf Active Tea is being sold for the first time at Sparta Farmers Market.  Founder/Owner Susan Parnell with her friend and helper Adela Williams.

By Rose Sgarlato
SPARTA — Sparta Farmers Market kicked off its third Saturday of the summer season featuring the on-trend Goat Yoga. Quite popular and widely seen on the Internet, goats apparently are friendly animals and exude a peaceful nature.
Kevin Wandrack and Grace Honingsberg of G & K Party Animals of Branchville supplied the 4-month-old goats named Rey, Star, Luke Hans and Chewbacca.
“We have had many requests for goat yoga, because goats are gentle, and people enjoy working around animals," said Honingsberg. They are inquisitive animals."
Mitch Morrison, founder of SFM, collaborated with Yoga Youniverse owner Dorota Ellington who taught goat yoga to willing and enthusiastic participants.
“When goats are interacting with us, it brings humor and joy to the practice,” said Ellington. "Seeing those friendly goats jumping around and nibbling on your toes is funny and uplifting.” Based on the success of the first class, Ellington said there will be more Goat Yoga in June at SFM.
For those that go to the market to buy fresh produce or artisanal goods from local vendors, there is plenty to choose from as SFM continues to grow in its seventh year, with 35 vendors and runs all-year through with an indoor market during the colder months.
“Our goal is to help small businesses bringing vendors, producers and farmers together,” said Morrison, who was sitting with a representative of Lakeland Bank, a sponsor of SFM.
Newcomer to the market is Susan Parnell, Sparta resident and founder of Wild Leaf Active Tea, which launched last August, featuring six flavored tea blends.
“Sparta Farmers Market is a great opportunity to increase local brand awareness and invite the community to sample something that was created with the help of the Sparta community,” said Parnell.
As for the locally produced foods and farm produce, the unseasonable weather plays a role, but the show still goes on.
"How the weather is going affects the grass, which affects the milk, which then affects the cheese,” explained Ryan Bender of Bobolink Dairy & Bakehouse of Milford. “And that determines how the cheese is going to turn out: firm versus soft.”
Bender added that SFM has come to be a "good Saturday market" for the company.
In addition to the variety of vendors every Saturday, the market features a cooking demo from a local chef and restaurant as well as live music.
“Saturdays at Sparta Farmers Market has become a community hangout, and we are happy about that,” said Morrison.
Sparta Farmers Market is located in the parking lot of Sparta Health & Wellness Center, 89-Sparta Ave. For more information, visit www.spartafarmersmarket.org.