Early Saturday morning — we’re talking early, as in when the birds begin chattering loudly in unison at first light — people will already be packing up their goods and heading to Tuxedo for market day. The Tuxedo Farmers’ Market celebrates its opening day of the season June 16 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. with a market day full of produce, song and other surprises. The market is the perfect place to pick up hand-made rolling pins and cutting boards to interesting herbs and cheese products or grass fed beef and tasty fresh tomatillos to mix up some weekend salsa.

“This will be our 8th season,” said dedicated Christina Tremblay, president of the Tuxedo Farmers’ Market, a non-profit organization that organizes and promotes the market. “Our market is special because we offer not just locally grown fruits and vegetables from Orange County but also strive to include gourmet items that are not easily found nearby. The local community loves the market and does a great job supporting it….but it’s really amazing to see how far people travel to our market, that’s a huge compliment, because it means they really like what our vendors have to offer.”

Tremblay herself will be one of those early morning travelers to the Tuxedo Train Station. She helped start the market when she lived in Tuxedo, but has since moved to New Jersey. And still, Tremblay is a dedicated Tuxedo Farmers’ Market enthusiast. Or to many, the glue that keeps all the market pieces in place.

“I love this market and everything you can buy at farm markets in general,” Tremblay said. “All of the vendors bring something extra special to our market and they have personalities to match! It’s the kind of market that you can pick up all you need for your family for the week, or throw a casual dinner party at home.”

Saturday’s festivities feature a special Father’s Day photo session with Dragonfly Studio set up in the Train Station, where pictures with same-day prints will be available. Guest Chef from The Tuxedo Junction Inn will offer sample delicacies made from market products. Also, grab some of those old knives that need sharpened. Precision Knife will offer knife sharpening throughout the afternoon, with a 2-knife limit.

Musician Dave Dowling will pluck and sing from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

“It’s important to know where your food comes from,” Tremblay said. “By supporting our market you are supporting the growers/farmers in Orange County that are helping to preserve open spaces. They work so hard to plant, care for and harvest their crops and instead of shopping malls and housing developments, you can see fields of black dirt, beautiful crops and orchards that make our county so beautiful.”

The Tuxedo Farmers’ Market opens this Saturday, June 16, from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Tuxedo Train Station. Market bags are available at the manager’s tent. Parking is available in the lower commuter lot at the north end of the train station. The north end of the parking lot is no longer open because of all the new vendors.