Residents Head to Market to Restock Empty Fridges

CROTON-ON-HUDSON—The Croton farmers market experienced the fortunate side effect of an unfortunate event. Tropical storm Irene knocked out power to thousands of Westchester customers, clearing out their refrigerators, sending many residents to the market for much needed groceries.

Although vendors sustained some damage to their fields and their bottom lines, the good numbers at the market on Wednesday were a hopeful sign of economic recovery after the storm. “We had some good numbers today,” said farmers market manager Brenda Ryan, “it was a little more work for everyone to get here, but they’re here.”

Many of the vendors are from the hard-hit northern Hudson Valley, in towns such as Chatam and Fishkill. “The trees in the orchard,” said farmer’s daughter and vendor Chelsea Migliorelli, of Migliorelli Farms in Tivoli, N.Y., “some of them got knocked down, but the worst part of it all was a lot of markets got cancelled.” She added that “every little bit counts.”

Sam Carson, a farming intern at Fishkill Farms said that the “roads around us were flooded,” but that “we seem to sit on a hill.” She also added that “we’ve done great today.”

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