Farmer's market runs beyond Labor Day

By Laurie Gordon
SPARTA — Labor Day weekend may mark the end of summer for many, but at the Sparta Farmer's Market, there are many more weeks to come of fresh produce, meats and a plethora of other home-grown and home made goodies.
For Shawna Bengivenni, the market is, literally, “As Fresh as it Gets.” That's the name of their farming business which is based in Wantage. “The market is fantastic and I just love my customers,” Shawna Bengivenni said, as she explained the three different types of garlic she had that day.
Behind the beautifully displayed baskets of garlic and tomatoes, fresh flowers, myriad of herbs and many other vegetables at the As Fresh As it Gets Garden stand at the market is a lot of hard work. There are countless hours of selecting seeds for her famous heirloom tomatoes during the winter months then the planning, planting, watering and weeding of her double-layer garden. As with all farmers, she has to take into account the ramifications of drought, too much rain, animals that can get into her garden and a lot of other variables each year. This can mean having to pick into the night if a storm is coming, putting up barriers to keep out potential pests and countless other things. Bengivenni's husband, Lou, is by her side to help behind the scenes and at the market.
As tomato season fades into pumpkin time, the market will continue to be open every Saturday until October 29th outside the Sparta Health & Wellness Building, on Sparta Avenue, from 9 am to 1 pm. At that point, the market will morph into a Winter Farmer's Market every Saturday at the Sparta Middle School during the same hours.
The Sparta Farmer's Market got its start in 2010 when Sparta residents Mitch Morrison and Ben Del Coro got together with the idea of starting the market. “We felt it was the exact right time to do this in Sparta,” said Morrison, “There are an overwhelming number of people in the area who: one, want to eat healthier foods that do not have to travel 3,000 miles to our table; two, want to know exactly where our food is grown and made.”
In its six year history, the market has become one of the most prestigious in the area. Live music regales customers as they stroll through the market, and live demonstrations, such as that done by Andre deWaal –from Andre's Restaurant on Tomohawk Lake, in Sparta-- wow the crowd. Chef deWaal demonstrated how to make a six-Minute Risotto. You can catch Chef deWaal again on Saturday, October 1.
The philosophy of the market has earned it a superb reputation and it was even rated in the top five in the state of New Jersey by www.onlyinyourstate.com. Its founders believe, “The Sparta Farmers Market is more than just a community market place. We create an environment of enrichment through community, charity and education. Throughout the season, we welcome area experts to our market to speak educate our market community on nutrition, cooking and more.”
The market is open year round from 9 am to 1 pm. For information and a full list of it's amazing vendors, visit: www.spartafarmersmarket.org.