We love to shine the spotlight on our customers, especially those that fully incorporate the market into their lives. Will Tobin and Alicia Bronzetti tagged us in some kayaking photos so we decided to find out more.
Will has been living on the Southeast shore of Cayuga Lake since 2011, Alicia since 2014 – not far from the market dock. They split time between Ithaca and Syracuse, but try to spend weekends in Ithaca as often as possible, including kayaking to the market! They also have a floating garden.
Ithaca Farmers Market: Why do you shop at the market?
Alicia Bronzetti: We believe in supporting local businesses. It’s crucial to support local farms and creators in order to keep our Ithaca community thriving! It’s also important to us that by shopping local, we’re able to eliminate unnecessary waste – packaging, preservatives, transport emissions, etc. And bonus: eating local foods can help boost your immune system and fight allergies! (I’m addicted to bee pollen and honey comb). Our market visits have been a way for us to break away from our busy work schedules and connect with the vibrancy that is Ithaca.
IFM: What can you tell us about kayaking to the market?
AB: During the warmer months we kayak to the market just about every weekend. We live just north of Stewart park so the trip only takes us 20-30 minutes each way. There’s a certain magic about the Ithaca Farmers Market, and pulling up in a kayak makes it feel extra special. We can walk right out of our house, drop the kayaks into the lake and head over. There’s never traffic and parking is a breeze. The shore along Stewart Park and the golf course is filled with birds and life. Blue and green herons, ospreys, bald eagles, cormorants, even beavers. Getting out on the water is one of our favorite ways to feel connected to our lakefront home. Our cat Halibut is 8 years old and has grown up on the lake so she’s unusually comfortable around the water, and always jumps on the kayak.
IFM: What’s your favorite part about shopping at the market?
AB: The open-air aspect of the market brings a certain quality of renewal, and even on chilly days it feels cozy and vibrant. We each have a long list of favorite spots. Forty Weight Coffee (it’s all we drink now), and the Cambodian restaurant have been the go-to starting blocks of our visits lately. I love bringing aspects of home with us to reduce waste; a set of silverware, cloth napkins and a reusable bag. For Will, his favorite stops are probably the plant vendors – Blue Heron Farm, and Kingbird Farm among others. Both of us are regularly drawn to Under the Tree ceramics and have acquired quite a collection. We grow an abundance of veggies and herbs at home, but anything we lack (garlic, onions, celery) we like to pick up at the market.
IFM: When did you start the floating garden?
AB: The OG floating garden made its appearance in 2015 when Will said “I wish we had more room to garden.” It was built from a salvaged leaky catamaran but only lasted one year after suffering significant damage during a fall storm. The following spring we abandoned the catamaran frame and Will rebuilt it entirely from scratch as a barrel raft. Each year he adds a new component. First there were self-watering containers with water basins and soil wicks. Now there is a solar powered pump that draws from the lake and waters through a drip irrigation system. The whole system is connected to our wifi so Will can water the raft from his phone and from anywhere in the world. Last summer he was watering the floating garden while we were traveling through Croatia!
IFM: What do you love cooking from the market?
AB: One easy meal that leaves for great leftovers is sheet pan sausage, peppers, onions, garlic and tomatoes. You can slather it all in good olive oil, salt & pepper, then roast them all together either on the grill or in the oven! The leftovers are great mixed with local eggs for a market-fresh omelet the next morning.
Follow along on Instagram for more lake adventures at @aliciarose6 or @floatasyougrow.