Sweet Deals Abundant at Ocean City Farmers Market

By MADDY VITALE Cherries, Jersey corn, sweet apples and thick, ripe tomatoes were just some of the delectable treats offered at good deals Wednesday during the Ocean City Regional Chamber of Commerce Farmers & Crafters Market. The popular market, on the Ocean City Tabernacle grounds at Sixth Street and Asbury Avenue, is held each Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. through Sept. 29. Hundreds of people strolled from vendor to vendor, selecting goodies from produce to jams, jellies and baked goods. There is also an array of crafts to choose from, including artwork, jewelry and household items. Shoppers peruse craft tents filled with jewelry and other goodies. Rebecca Pascoe was in search of a specific produce. She went straight to vendor Savoie Organic Farm out of Williamstown. “I like organic produce. I bought organic eggplant and garlic,” Pascoe, of Lanoka Harbor, explained. “I try to come down to Ocean City a couple of times a year and I never miss the Farmers Market or the Fall Block Party.” Carol Savoie, an owner of the organic farm, said business was excellent. “We have been extremely busy together,” she said. “The market is our favorite.” While veggies and fruits were on the minds of some shoppers, others had their sights set on sweet treats -- the sugary kind. Mark Bolner, of Magilla Gorilla Sweet Treats, hands AJ Tighe, of Pennsylvania, an icy treat. Joyce and Joe Tighe, and their grandson, AJ Tighe and his mom, Megan, all of Pennsylvania, stopped at a vendor so AJ could get a cool treat of tropical water ice. “It’s good!” exclaimed AJ as he spooned out a bite. Then it was off to find the best fruits and veggies, Joyce Tighe noted. The family was down for a weeklong vacation in Ocean City and one of their favorite annual stops is to the Farmers Market, they said. “We came to the market for the corn and Jersey tomatoes and to look at the crafts,” Joyce said. Ripe cherries and strawberries are among the delectable fruits at the Farmers Market. “We are here for the week. We want to stay longer,” Joe Tighe noted. Pierre Koenig, of Newtown Square, Pa., makes the items he sells. The 18-year-old has his own business called SawShark. He makes cutting boards, cabinets, tables and even lifeguard stands out of wood. Each piece has his unique touch. No piece is identical. A customer stopped by and put a lazy Susan on hold. “I got into woodworking a couple of years ago. I made it into a business,” Pierre said, adding that his family, including his mom, Denise Koenig, has helped him along the way. “I learned a little by myself. I enjoy making things.” Sweet treats in the way of key lime pies from “Chef’s Key Lime Pies" by Matthew Pressler are also popular among shoppers. Pierre Koenig, of Newtown Square, Pa., of SawShark, and his mom, Denise Koenig, center, chat with a customer. Kerri Dinan and her husband, Charlie, make a weekly stop by the market to pick up two key lime pies. The Ocean City residents, who work at the 7th Street Surf Shop, buy the pies for the instructors for surf lessons down at 7th Street beach, Kerri said. “They love it,” Kerri noted. “It keeps the surf lessons going,” Charlie said with a laugh. Pressler, whose sons Luke and Matt, help him with his key lime pie business, said the Ocean City Farmers Market is the family's favorite. “Ocean City is our most successful market. People are great. They say, ‘I have to get my pizza and key lime pie,'" Pressler said. “They are the staples in Ocean City. It’s nice.” Kerri Dinan purchases two key lime pies from Mathew Pressler, in hat, owner of Chef's Key Lime Pie.