Sustainable Andover holds mid-winter farmers market

| 25 Feb 2015 | 02:14

By Rose Sgarlato
— Sustainable Andover held its fourth annual mid-winter farmers market last Sunday at Hillside Park Barn. People from all over northern New Jersey came out to enjoy over a dozen vendors who displayed their home-grown food and wares.

Emphasizing the importance of local business and creating awareness of locally grown food, people sampled and learned about eco-friendly ideas includeing creating electricity.

Linda Grinthal, of Sunset Vista Community Garden and Learning Center, demonstrated powering up electronics by pedaling a bicycle attached to a generator.

Andover resident Keith Blaze, 12, participated.

“It’s pretty cool. You can power a lot of things,” Blaze said.

Pat Heavener, of Tranquility Farms in Green Township, showcased her handmade alpaca hats, scarves, rugs and blankets.

“The original appeal of alpacas is they are a no-kill livestock and a fiber animal,” she said. “We do the shearing that does not hurt them in May so that they have a coat in the winter.”

Austin D’Almeida, of Jersey Barnfire Hot Sauce, a food company, explained the development of the company’s black garlic hot sauce.

“The garlic is aged and kept under high temperature and humidity to get it sweet,” D’Almeida said. “It’s a big thing on the culinary scene.”

Shauna Jonach, of Andover, indulged in a taste and purchased a bottle.

“It’s excellent, and I am a big fan of hot sauce,” Jonach said.

Silver Springs Farm and Lee’s Bees of Hardyston, represented by owner and beekeeper Leeann Coleman, displayed her beeswax cosmetics line of soaps, salves, lip balms and creams.

“Beeswax has natural, antibacterial elements, there is no reason to have chemicals in products we use,” Coleman said.

First time attendees John Nichol and Karen Mazowiecki, of Stanhope, tested out the lip balm.

Jessie Mykietyn moved to Andover Township in 2013 and was pleased the farmers market was happening in his backyard.

“If everyone did this, we could support ourselves and not shove chemicals down our faces which is particularly important to me with a young family,” Mykietyn said.

Sustainable Andover was founded in 2011 and achieved certification for Andover Township in 2014 through the Sustainable Jersey Program.

"The main idea is to get Andover residents connected to the variety of vendors in this area,” said Eric Olsen, chair of Sustainable Andover. “We are implementing projects to support local food, innovative storm water management and community education programs and events. We are always looking for volunteers to get involved.”

For more information please contact Eric Olsen at eolsen@andovertwp.org.