Mohawk Village Farmer's Market

This one is for my Mohawk Valley followers!  Last week while visiting my parents, my mom and I made a stop at the Mohawk Valley Farmer's Market.  This market takes place on Wednesdays in front of the Weller Library on West Main Street in Mohawk.

As you might expect from a tiny town like Mohawk, this was a tiny market, but props to them for making the effort!  And although there weren't a large number of stands like markets I've visited in the Capitol Region, there were a couple of great vendors that make the Mohawk market a valuable place to visit.

The first stand to catch our eye was stacked with breads, cookies, and fudge baked by Colinda's Sweets and Treats from Holland Patent.  Here we purchased cinnamon buns.  At $4, I thought they were a little pricey, but they were AMAZING.  These are not your Pillsbury cinnamon buns.  The cinnamon and sugar formed a candy coating around the bottom, and they came with a tub of cream cheese frosting. OMG.

My mom is spreading on the cream cheese frosting... yummm!

Next, we were on the hunt for yellow beans, which are apparently hard to find in the Mohawk Valley this year, according to my grandfather.  Seeking out farmstand beans during the summer has been a tradition in my family for as long as I can remember-- at least during the summers when my grandfather didn't just plant them himself.

We struck gold here in Mohawk.  One stand stood out from all the rest: Miller's Country Kitchen from Richfield Springs.  Stacked on the tables were piles of some of the most beautiful produce to be found... including yellow beans, which my mom bought for $2.50.  It's funny that she thought this was expensive, because then I saw them this weekend in Saratoga for $4/box.  So stock up while you're in Mohawk!

Check out the delicious produce from Miller's:

Here's our yellow beans! (And some green ones, too!)

It's zucchini season.... brace yourself! (Also notice the picture perfect cherries to the right.)

Miller's apparently makes their own jam.. we didn't buy any, but it looked good.

It's worth it to stop in Mohawk just for Miller's veggies and Colinda's dessert.  And it's pretty convenient that it's during the week, so you can stop by to pick something up for dinner.  I also hear that Herkimer has a market on Thursdays, and it would be my guess that many of these same vendors would be there, too.  I'm excited that the Mohawk Valley has gotten involved in the farmer's market concept, especially considering we are surrounded by so much beautiful farmland.  I remember as a kid having to drive out on the highways looking for the farmstands... it's convenient that they're now collecting in one place!  

First Stop: Little Falls Community Co-Op

One of my favorite stops when I'm home for the weekend ("home" = my parents' house = the Mohawk Valley) is the Little Falls Community Co-Op. I've been to a few other co-ops in my time, and although this one is small, it holds a special place in my heart. Perhaps it's the QT I get with my mom each time we peruse their selection of natural soaps, or the addictive unsweetened banana chips I purchase by the bagful, or the lowest-priced Burt's Bees stock I've ever seen.

Here are some items not to miss (pricing is approximate since it depends on availability, season, and size):

unsweetened banana chips <$1

local honey (great for allergies) <$3/lb (a steal, really)

loose spices (great for an experimental cook) <$1/oz

Burt's Bees Lemon Poppyseed Face Scrub <$7

local sweet corn (my parents' summer fave) about $4/dz

These are only a select few of the bountiful selection of dried goods, fruits, vegetables, grains, and toiletries that they squeeze into this little one-room shop. There are also amazing Amish baskets for sale that I'm still trying to convince myself I need.

It's tiny, local, and cheap-- a great way to support local farmers and artisans (lavendar soap, anyone?), and a store that's one of it's kind in the Mohawk Valley. It's a must-stop if you live here in the valley, or even if you just happen to be passing by Exit 29A on the Thruway.

The Community Co-Op is located on Albany St. in Little Falls. They are open Tuesdays-Fridays until 5 (Thursdays until 8) and on Saturdays until 1.

Above is a snapshot of my mom's purchases of the day: unsweetened banana chips, sugar snap peas, local honey, and local sweet potatoes.