Think the harvest season is gone with the leaves that have fallen from the trees? Think again. Some enterprising vendors from area farmers markets are determined to extend the season as long as possible.

The Tri-Lakes Harvest Market takes place Saturdays through Dec. 19 at the Lake Placid Center for the Arts' annex building. The market melds vendors from the Lake Placid and Saranac Lake summer farmers markets.

This marks the third year that those markets have extended beyond the traditional season, said Sam Hendren of Clover Mead Farm in Chesterfield, who manages the Harvest Market and four summer markets. The arts center has donated the space and Ausable Valley Grange gives technical and financial support, said Hendren.

Something that makes this market unique is that everything sold is made by people living within 100 miles of the market, said Hendren.

"Other places, you might buy green beans grown by someone locally, but the tomatoes might 'speak Mexican'. The cucumbers and lettuce might have a laid-back California vibe," said Hendren, who sells his certified organic raw-milk cheeses at the market.

"The neat thing about it is that the efforts are appreciated." Not only do customers benefit, he said, but the market gives small, owner-operated start-up businesses a chance to test their products and see if they can be successful.

"I see what it does for people and it's great to see those things happening."

Opportunities for
new businesses

Christa Zoeller of AuSable Forks recently started selling baked goods at the winter market under the name T n T Bakery. Zoeller, who is going back to Paul Smith's in January to finish her culinary degree, spent last summer selling cheese for Hendren, which led to her baking goodies for his farm's café.

She's using her time at the market as a "testing ground," to see how well certain items sell, such as a flourless chocolate torte for gluten-free customers.

Eventually, she'd like to open a bakery or café somewhere in the area, she said, but for now her weekly stint at the market is a good start.

The owners of Green Goddess natural food store in Lake Placid started out as vendors at the farmers market before they opened the store two years ago. The business continues to sell sandwiches, hummus, soup and other sundries at the farmers market because of the exposure and it's a "great place to get good food," said cook Kim Scarpa.

Scarpa went to Paul Smith's for culinary arts and started out as a pastry chef. Being vegetarian, Scarpa is happy to have found a job that allows her to cook without having to prepare meat dishes and she enjoys selling healthy food. She recently added a hot buffet-style lunch on Fridays to the café's offering.

Andrew Brandt, of A New Leaf coffee house in Lake Placid, agrees that selling at the farmers market is a good way to promote his business. Although A New Leaf has been around for about 20 years, it recently moved to a new location. Brandt found being at the farmers market was another way to get the word out about the change. Plus it was a way to spotlight his locally roasted, organic coffee, he said.

Community spirit
On a recent Saturday, Sophia DelCampo, 6, of Springfield, Mo., sampled goat cheese from Asgaard Dairy with her parents, Carlin and Lou DelCampo. The family was on vacation and decided to stop by the market.

"We like to support local farmers markets," said Lou, who added that they enjoy going to ones held back home as well. "You're supporting your neighbors."

Many vendors speak highly of the community spirit that exists at the market. Kayte Billerman of Lake Placid, who sells wine for Cascade Mountain Vineyard based in Amenia, likes interacting with the other vendors. She attributes the market's success to the recent "buy local" boom.

"Everyone is becoming interested in growing and buying food locally," she said, which helps boost the market. "It's a community effort."

Of course, it wouldn't be a farmers market without farm-fresh produce. On a recent Saturday, Beth Spaugh of Rehoboth Homestead in Peru still had some fall crops to sell: potatoes, kale, beets, carrots, cabbage and some greens. With the addition of hoop houses, Spaugh hopes to extend her growing season even further and would like to see the farmers market run year round.

Don Grout of Lake Placid volunteers with the Essex County Master Gardeners association in the summer, but is able to participate as a customer in the fall months. He was buying some cheese from Hendren. "I try to come every week," he said. "I try to support local people and you know it's great food."