Help for Eating Healthy During Winter: This Month's "Community Spotlight"

From community events to awesome places to visit, there’s so much that makes Central and Northern New York special.  In an effort to highlight all that’s unique about our region, I’m launching “Senator Ritchie’s Community Spotlight.” Through this new effort, I’ll be dedicating my Weekly Column one-time per-month to different things to do and see throughout Jefferson, St. Lawrence and Oswego Counties.

This month, I’m shining a “spotlight” on the Chaumont Volunteer Fire Department’s Winter Farmers Market.   Now in its fifth year of operation, the market takes place at the fire department—located at 11385 State Route 12-E—and runs on Sundays from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. until March 5th.  Each week, more than 25 vendors take part in the market and sell local products including fresh meats, root vegetables, cheeses, baked goods, eggs, local wines, fresh bread and other goods.  In addition, breakfast and lunch are also available. 

While less in number than summer farmers markets, winter markets offer a great opportunity to not only buy and eat local foods, but also to support our hardworking farmers—something that’s especially important to me as Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee.  Just recently, I was once again renamed to lead the Committee, and I’m looking forward to again digging in and spearheading initiatives that strengthen the connections between consumers and local foods, encourage more young people to pursue careers in farming and support the work done every day by hardworking farmers in every corner of the Empire State. 

Do you have a local event you’d like to see highlighted through my “Community Spotlight?”  If so, let me know by emailing me at ritchie@nysenate.gov or by calling (315) 393-3024.