Local farmers, small business owners and residents gathered Saturday morning in downtown Mars as the Mars Farmers Market continued its seasonal run featuring fresh food, homemade products and community connections.
“This market was already established, and when the previous organizers could no longer continue, another vendor and I stepped in because we wanted to keep the market going for everybody,” said Melanie Fessides.
Fessides, who operates Fessides Farm and Apiary, said the market typically attracts anywhere from 100 to several hundred visitors depending on the weather and time of year. Produce season often brings even larger crowds.
Among the returning vendors is Fessides Farm and Apiary, known for its award-winning honey products. Fessides said spring honey and hot honey have become customer favorites.
“People like to put hot honey on pizza and chicken,” she said. “Spring honey is also very popular because a lot of people use it to help with seasonal allergies.”
Fessides currently maintains about 60 bee colonies totaling several million bees. She said weather, pests and diseases remain ongoing challenges for beekeepers, especially during rainy spring seasons.
Her business has earned first-place honors at the Pennsylvania Farm Show for four consecutive years.
Paula Eastman said the farm began in 2019 after her family decided they wanted healthier, more natural food options.
“We wanted to know where our food came from and be able to offer our child wholesome food,” Eastman said.
The family raises chickens, ducks, pigs, turkeys and cattle using pasture-raised practices and non-GMO feed without hormones or antibiotics. Chicken breasts were among the most popular items at the market Saturday morning.
Eastman said farming has become rewarding despite the hard work involved.
“Being able to produce a quality product and knowing where our food comes from and that it lived a good life is the most rewarding part,” she said.
New vendors are also helping bring fresh energy to the market.
The Farm on Windy Hill, based in Portersville, is participating in the Mars Farmers Market for its first season. The family-run operation specializes in herbs, flowers and heirloom oxheart tomatoes grown from seeds passed down through family generations.
Kaye Kramer, a retired University of Pittsburgh professor who previously worked in diabetes prevention research, said the farm project grew out of a shared dream with her daughter Megan Murthy.
“We’ve always wanted to do something together,” Kramer said. “The most rewarding part has just been spending time together as three generations.”
Murthy, who works full-time as a nurse, described the family business as “a hobby that’s turned into more.”
On Saturday morning, shoppers browsed tents filled with honey, meats, flowers, herbs, vegetable plants and handmade goods while families walked through the rows of vendors under sunny skies in downtown Mars.
Children sampled flavored honey sticks while shoppers browsed tents filled with flowers, meats, herbs and vegetable plants under sunny skies in downtown Mars.
Beyond the farm stands, shoppers also explored homemade craft booths and specialty food vendors while several dogs tagged along with their owners through the rows of tents. The pet-friendly atmosphere added to the community feel of the Saturday morning market, where businesses like Brochacho’s Salsa joined local farms and handmade vendors in downtown Mars.
The Mars Farmers Market continues every Saturday through the first weekend of October, rain or shine.
