No Return in 2012 for West Harrison Farmers Market

The farmers market that a boost to shops in Silver Lake while offering a fun, family-oriented, weekend destination for local food shoppers will not be back for a second year in 2012.

Bensidoun USA, a Chicago-based company that operated the West Harrison Farmers Market during its first year has confirmed they will not be back this summer, citing that the market was not profitable, said Harrison Mayor/Supervisor Ron Belmont.

Although the town's original contract with Bensidoun USA was for five years, there is language that the company can pull out to end the agreement.

The end of the West Harrison market comes as little surprise. After a promising start in early June last year, participation began to dwindle by early July. As the summer months passed, vendors started to drop out and the number of food options was greatly reduced by August.

Hurricane Irene, which affected many local farmers and some of the market's vendors, dealt another blow in September.

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By early October, the West Harrison Farmers Market closed for the year two weeks early because of a lack of vendors.

Despite a difficult year, there was support for the market's return in 2012. After the market closed this fall, Denise DiBiasi, a Purchase resident who was instrumental in bringing the market to West Harrison, told Patch . 

Instead, Belmont said the town will look for another company to run a new Harrison market, possibly as soon as this summer.

"I would like to put it downtown," Belmont said. "I'm going to reach out and contact other corporations."