Saratoga Farmers’ Market will open at the High Rock Park pavilions Wednesday, May 1, providing local residents and tourists the chance to buy local from more than 50 regional farms and other producers. The market’s opening festivities for the outdoor season are scheduled for Saturday, May 4, and will include live music and other special activities. Affiliated markets in Malta and Clifton Park will open in June and July.

The market is presently finishing up a successful indoor season at Division Street School, where weekly Saturday markets with 25 vendors will continue to be held on April 20 and 27 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Once outside, the Saratoga Farmers’ Market will operate twice a week from May through the end of October at High Rock Park: Wednesdays from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

This season’s Saratoga market will offer a range of fresh food, including vegetables, fruit, mushrooms, meat, poultry, eggs, baked goods, fresh and frozen prepared foods, beverages, peanut butter, honey, jam, yogurt, cheese and milk, as well as plants, flowers, handicrafts and knife-sharpening.

The Malta Farmers’ Market will be open Tuesdays from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. beginning June 4 near the Malta Community Center on Route 9 just south of Bayberry Drive.

The Clifton Park Farmers’ Market will be open Thursdays from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. beginning July 11 in the parking lot of St. George’s Church, 912 Route 146 near the intersection of Moe Road.

Saratoga Farmers’ Market Association maintains a producer-only standard for all its markets, requiring vendors to grow or produce their goods in Saratoga, Schenectady, Rensselaer or Washington counties to ensure products are fresh and unique, not bought for resale. The market does make a few exceptions to this rule for foods not available locally. By adhering to the local standard, the market makes sure sales provide economic, ecological and social support to local communities.

More information is available via www.saratogafarmersmarket.org, as well as Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

--Jennie