High Point Kombucha owner and brewer, Laura Valasakos, right, talks about her drink product to Clourtney Zielinski.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Paul, from Bet’a Bread Bakery & Deli, left, helps Mike Balberchak, of West Pittston, choose bread products.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Debbie Tighe, right, and her daughter, Tracy Tighe, center, look over products by Radle Farms. Julie Radle, left, of Radle Farms, said they specialize in maple syrup and other maple products.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
TJ Belt, of Jubilee Balloons, interacts with 2 1/2 year-old Madison Halat at the Farmer’s Market.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Lisa Griffiths, left, and Sharon Hopkins, center, are taken care of by Golomb Farm’s Laura Golomb Kosco.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
PITTSTON — We are in the heart of summerm and that can only mean one thing. The Pittston Farmer’s Market is in full swing each Tuesday at the Tomato Festival lower lot from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The city’s Farmer’s Market has been a tradition downtown for over 30 years, and it’s just as popular today as it was when it first started.
“I’m very happy with the response from the community,” Mary Kroptavich, Pittston’s Main Street manager, said. “We’ve gone from having five to six farmers to about 17 now.”
Farmers like Golomb Farms, Dymond’s Farms, and Brace’s Orchard have been a part of the Farmer’s Market since the inception of the event.
Today, along with the farmers mentioned, other merchants have been participating, such as Bet’a Bread Bakery & Deli, Maple Hill Farm & Apiaries, Michele’s Handcrafted Specialties, Pittston Popcorn, Pocono Organic, Whisker Biscuits Pet Treats, Simply Delicious Desserts, and more.
Two new merchants, High Point Kombucha and Radle Farm, along with a few more decided to join the market in 2021.
High Point Kombucha has been in business for three-years but has been brewing her bottled drinks since 2013.
“This is a traditional ferment from Indo-China area from thousands of years ago,” Laura Valaskos, owner/brewer of High Point Kombucha, said. “It’s sweet tea that’s fermented with a culture similar to sourdough. It’s similar to winemaking or cider making that is non-alcoholic.”
High Point Kombucha has several flavored drinks to choose from and Valaskos, a Dallas native, appears every other Tuesday at the Pittston Farmer’s Market. She’s hoping to be at the market every week next year.
Radle Farms, based out of Avoca, showcases maple syrup tapped from their own trees. Radle Farms also sells maple mustard, maple spice mixes (French Toast or Dry Rub), maple popcorn, and pancake mix.
According to Julie Radle, they tap trees after New Year’s and wait for freezing temps at night and above freezing temps in the day to harvest the raw syrup.
“In April, we are usually in the sugar shack with the evaporator making the syrup,” Radle said. “After the syrup is made, that’s when I do the mustards, we make sugar and then for the markets I’ll prep the pancake mix, I’ll do the baked goods and generally I like to have everything bottled from April until we get to the markets.”
Debbie Tighe, Avoca, has been coming back to the Pittston Farmer’s Market each year.
“I come for the fresh produce, people that you know, farmers that you know,” Tighe said. “I usually stock up and I don’t come and buy a few things. I like to try new things out that I see here. I really enjoy everything. I’ll buy some for me, some for my daughter and some for my son.”
“It’s amazing how dedicated the customers are,” Kroptavich said. “These people come every week and you see the same face and they are really true to the farmers.”
The Pittston Farmer’s Market continues throughout the summer every Tuesday until Nov. 23.
