Sugar Hill Farm Market offers sweet deals to Harlem Valley shoppers
PINE PLAINS — Having thought about opening a market for a long time, Elena Meccariello, the wife of Sugar Hill Farm manager Jack Meccariello, was able to turn her dream of opening a farm market into a reality this summer with the opening of Sugar Hill Farm Market.
Since 2003, the family-operated Sugar Hill Farm has taken great pride and pleasure in its work raising high-quality pasture-raised pork at 3580 Route 199 in Pine Plains.
All of the pigs, according to Elena, are born and raised on the farm and spend their days on the its lush pastures. The Meccariello family also pride themselves on their raising different breeds of pigs and making their own pig feed. An extensive amount of research has gone into their work over the years as she said they’ve traveled the country visiting other farms and studying the art of pork, particularly in Iowa where it’s “total pig country.”
Across the street from where the pigs are roam the pasture, the Sugar Hill Farm Market opened at 3629 Route 199 on Aug. 7.
As she was looking into opening a market and researching her options, Elena said, “I wanted it to be where anybody could afford to come in. We wanted it so anybody could afford to come in and buy something, and we carry so many products right now and we’re expanding.”
Stepping into the country-side brightly-painted red market, customers will indeed be impressed by the wide array of products curated from local farms — including Chaseholm Farm Creamery and Ronnybrook Farm in Pine Plains — as well as area purveyors and small batch companies.
Along with local dairy products, produce, pork, beef and chicken, Sugar Hill Farm Market carries shelves of fine tea, bread, baked goods, soaps, lotions, balms, eggs, sauces and oils, beans, granola, rubs and much more in store.
On top of that, Elena said she and her family sample everything they carry in the market so they can help advise customers who come in. For example, if a customer were to give her an idea of something they like, she can refer to what she’s sampled and make a suggestion.
Sugar Hill Farm Market’s fall hours of operations run from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays; from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays; from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sundays; and is closed Mondays through Wednesdays.
Elena said they plan to have the market stay open all year long and the hours will change per season.
