Canal Village Farmers’ Market has busy start to season in Medina

Photos courtesy of Chris Busch: Black Button Distilling of Rochester will be appearing regularly at the Canal Village Farmers’ Market. On opening day at their summer location on West Center Street and West Avenue, the distillery sold out of their Bourbon Cream.

MEDINA – The ninth season of Medina’s Canal Village Farmers’ Market’s summer season launched on Saturday with a big crowd at the summer location in downtown Medina.

“Our winter market had a great season, but the summer market season is what everyone looks forward to,” said Chris Busch, president of the Orleans Renaissance Group, which sponsors the market. “Opening day was amazing, with more than 400 visitors who gathered throughout the morning and early afternoon to enjoy the vendors, live music and food trucks. Everyone had a great time.”

The Orleans Renaissance Group or ORG, is a local 501(c)3 arts and culture organization, which operates Canal Village Farmers’ Market on their corner lot at West Center Street and West Avenue. Gail Miller is manager of the market.

“We had a fantastic opening day,” she said. “We have a lot packed into the Saturday market, with regular and rotating vendors, food trucks, kids’ scavenger hunts, crafters and community groups. The vibe was incredible. One of the best ever.”

Regular vendors were joined by new vendors this season, including Confection Connection Bakery and Wild Dahlia Designs selling fresh flowers.

Wineries, mead and spirits will make a return. Scheduled throughout the season are 810 Meadworks, the popular Black Button Distilling from Rochester and other area wineries, to be announced.

Food trucks and vendors will again be at the market.

“We have a great line-up of food trucks and there’s a nice variety for all tastes this year,” Miller said.

TN Smoke House from Middleport had customers lined up at the opening day of Canal Village Farmers’ Market, selling out of their brisket and pulled pork.

TN Smoke House, El Gran Burrito and NOLA Concessions were a huge hit opening day, with TN Smoke House selling out.

TN Smoke House was a much-anticipated new addition, Busch said.

“We’re so excited to welcome pit-master Scott Gypson and TN Smoke House to our lot at 127 West Center St.,” Miller said.

Gypson, a Middleport native, spent a number of years living in Tennessee where he learned and mastered the fine art of smoking meat, Busch said.

“Many told us throughout the day that his brisket and pulled pork were the best they’d ever had,” Busch said. “The line at his truck was non-stop.”

TN Smoke House will appear at numerous times during the season. In addition to weekly anchor food truck, El Gran Burrito, other food trucks will be rotating in and out throughout the season as well, including Dubby’s Wood Fired Pizza from Albion and Greenlief’s on the Go from Middleport..

Another new food vendor is NOLA Confections, selling New Orleans style snow cones– a sweet made with a mound of fluffy shaved ice flavored with sweet syrups and topped or stuffed with a number of mix-ins and add-ons.

The ever-popular weekly Kid’s Scavenger Hunt also returned to the summer market. The scavenger hunt has again been generously sponsored by Maureen Hungerford.

Miller said that products available each Saturday are listed every week on the market’s Facebook page – Canal Village Farmers Market. Customers are encouraged to like and follow the page for up-to-date information on vendors, food trucks and general information on activities.

The market will again have multiple options for making sales transactions, including, cash, credit via Square, PayPal and Venmo, as well as also accepting Senior Coupons, WIC, SNAP and Fresh Connect Checks. Double Up Food Bucks to SNAP recipients will soon be available.

The market is open every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Miller can be reached at canalvillagemarket@gmail.com or via Facebook Messenger with questions or vendor inquiries.