Culture & Community | Guilford | Arts & Culture | Youth Arts Journalism Initiative | Food & Farming
It was just past 4 p.m. on a Thursday, and Al Kostuk rhythmically stirred the kettle before him, sending the smell of something sweet and savory into the air. Slowly, attendees began to gather close to him. After listening for the popping to slow, Kostuk poured the kettle corn into a large silver pan and began scooping it into bags.
Kostuk is a vendor at the Guilford Farmers Market, held each Thursday afternoon at the Guilford Fairgrounds at 111 Lovers Lane. From now through October 24, the market takes place every Thursday from 4 to 7 p.m., held rain or shine in Barns 13 and 14.
In addition to multiple farms and orchards that come with fruit and vegetables, vendors include everything from honey and olive oil makers to artists selling beaded jewelry. Like the fair, scheduled for September 20 through 22, it is organized by the Guilford Agricultural Society.
“It’s good to see so many people participating in the community,” Kostuk said. He added that some people come every week—a few friends of his are regulars—while there is always someone new at the stand, too.
Kostuk has been making kettle corn for the past 23 years. In addition to adding less sugar, which makes his corn different, he uses mushroom-style corn kernels and buys 50-pound bags at a time.
On a recent Thursday, he placed a butterfly-style kernel beside a puffed mushroom-style one, to show the difference. The butterfly-style kernel resembled wings.
“It only takes the kernels, oil and sugar,” he said. With a love of craft, he also does sixteenth-century style blacksmithing and makes oats for other events at the fairgrounds and at the Thomas Griswold House.
In Barn 13, a large line surrounded the Southington-based cottage food business Country Bread Bakery as Ania Colbert cut samples of her sourdough breads. And she placed the samples on cutting boards and in baskets, Colbert said she came with her love of bread to the United States from Poland.
As a child, she grew up eating sourdough bread. “I bring a piece of my country for people to enjoy,” she said, offering a slice to this reporter. The outside of the loaf had a crisp crust and the inside was soft and airy. There were hints of olive oil and the bread had a light sour tinge.
The market is also a space of collaboration. One stand over from Colbert, Peter Giannopoulos of Papa Spyro’s Olive Oil sold Greek olive oil, baklava, spanakopita, hummus, tzatziki alongside her bread, which he uses for samples.
Tom Rafferty.
The co-owner of the business, Giannopoulos knows his way around food, he said. He used to work for his father at his restaurant, Nick's Place in Madison, before taking up the mission of promoting Papa Spyro’s Olive Oil with his wife, Anna Markoulaki.
For first-time market goers like Tom Rafferty, who heard about the market through a vendor, it was a treat. By the time this reporter talked to him, he had already purchased some peppers, and was headed over to the next barn.
“At one of the other markets I go to, one of the merchants who I like told me about this one.” Rafferty said. “It’s cool. You get to see all kinds of things that you wouldn’t usually see.”
This article comes from the 2024 Cohort of the Youth Arts Journalism Initiative. Ruby Szekeres is a rising sophomore at the Sound School.