By MICHELLE MILLER
Staff Writer

Founded in 1991 by the nonprofit organization Otsego 2000, the Cooperstown Farmers’ Market has grown steadily over the years.

The market, which is located in Pioneer Alley, serves as an outlet for local farmers, crafters and producers to provide fresh homegrown or homemade products in a small-town environment.

John Lapp, of Lapp’s Produce in Little Falls, said he has been selling veggies and fruits at the Cooperstown Farmers’ Market for five years. Compared to last year, Lapp said sales are down by about 10-20 percent. He said he also sells his vegetables and fruits at markets in Utica, Herkimer and Northville.

As far as the number of vendors, Lapp said Cooperstown is the biggest market he sells at, but he said sales are about even at all the locations. He said he is not quite sure why sales are down this year, he said one might be able to blame the downward fall of the economy.

Despite the unusual wet growing season, Lapp said his crops have been growing well. However, he said everything is later than usual.

Judy and Rick Bach, of Bach Farms in Mohawk, said they primarily sell meat products such as lamb and pork, but dabble in some crop production. They also sell free-range eggs. The Bachs said their corn and peppers came up real late.

``We really didn’t get any hot weather,’’ said Rick. The Bachs said they did not market any tomatoes this year because of the blight, a highly contagious fungus that has been destroying tomato and potato plants in nearly every state in the Northeast and the mid-Atlantic.

They said nearly every one of their tomato plants appeared to have the blight, and they did not want to take the risk of selling any tomatoes to customers. The Bachs said they just started selling items at the Cooperstown market last month, but say they are happy with sales.

``The sales are very good at this market,’’ said Rick. Gwen Dowsey, of Anna’s Shellrock Creek Farm in Middlefield, said she used to sell vegetables at the farmers’ market and at a roadside stand alongside State Highway 28. However, this year she said she got away from selling veggies and is selling organic clothing for women and children because there were too many vendors selling the same products. Dowsey, who sold veggies for about 14 years in the area, said she decided it would be more sensible to sell something that could be sold for profit for a longer amount of time.

``I wanted to extend my season,’’ said Dowsey.

``It’s nice to rest the ground,’’ she added.

Dowsey said selling the clothing allows her to work a full-time job and sell at the market on the weekends.

``As soon as I get my retirement this is all I want to do. I absolutely love it,’’ said Dowsey at the market on Saturday.

``It has become hard play for me,’’ she added.

Dowsey said although she is a returning vendor at the market, she has been away from it for seven years. She said she had noticed some changes at the market that other vendors that sell each year may not have.

For example she said organizers have done a wonderful job expanding the market. She said the market now offers a wider variety of items of better quality.

``The market is much more client-based than in previous years,’’ she added. According to Dowsey, the Cooperstown Farmers’ Market has been able to attract more and more people over the years.

Ilyssa Berg, of Painted Goat Farm in New Lisbon, said she has been selling items such as farmstead goat milk cheeses, eggs and frozen goat and pork at the market for two years. She said sales were really good this summer, but has slowed down with the beginning of the school year.

Berg said she is one of the newer vendors at the market so she only can compare this year’s sales to last year, which she said was better.

``I heard the same from others here at the market,’’ she said.

Berg said goat farming is an entirely new venture for her. She said her husband was a farmer growing up and he is one of the reasons she decided to give it a whirl.

``We wanted to do something we both could do and have skills at,’’ said Berg. Berg said she and her husband started the farm almost three years ago and have been producing cheese for two years.

According to the Cooperstown Farmers’ Market website, otsego2000.org/ farmersmarket, the market is open on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the summer. Autumn hours, Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., began on September 12 and will end November 14.

From November 1 to December 19 the market will have holiday Saturday hours from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Winter markets will be held twice a month in January, February, March and April. Dates and times are to be announced.

The market participates in the New York State Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (FMNP).