Featured Customer
Farmers & Artisans
Owned by baker David Setzer and 6th generation farmer Julie Blackman, Farmers & Artisans opened just over a year ago after the two met at a winter farmers market. After years of selling his bread seasonally David started a winter farmers market so that he could sell his bread all year round. Julie, of Blackman Homestead Farm, joined the market that year to sell value-added products (jams, jellies, fruit butters, sauces, chili sauces and juices) from items grown on her family's farm. Through this serendipitous meeting, the idea was born for a year-round retail store featuring local products.
Today at Farmers & Artisans you'll find that at least half the products are from Western New York and many others are from the Finger Lakes Region. David and Julie know that they will never replace a store like Wegmans. They sell mostly food items; no toilet paper, paper towels, dish soap, etc. However, they are striving to become a one-stop shop for food.
"The local food movement takes a lot of cooperation and collaboration, " says David. "You can't do it alone." After months of searching for just the right flour to make his European style breads, David is exclusively using a white flour from Farmer Ground Flour who makes it only for them. They also sell jams, jellies, popcorn, pickles, honey, pasta, goat milk soaps & lotions, dog biscuits, hydroponic salad greens, and fruits and vegetables... all from local producers.
If local meat is what you're looking for you can find chicken, (even some heritage breeds), beef, pork, lamb, and goat. They have an impressive selection of NY farmstead cheeses. Boasting at least 15 different kinds, David thinks their local cheese counter is one of the best around.
In-house, Julie and David, and their staff of 10 part-time employees, make daily soups, hummus, and salads. They are working on expanding their lunch menu and are developing a dinner menu, too.
In addition to their bakery and retail items, they also use a basic CSA (community supported agriculture) model to sell milk and egg shares. To get the milk and egg shares, customers pay a fee up front and then receive their specified amount of milk and eggs for 13 weeks.
Of course, not all the products we all use on a daily basis can be sourced locally. As for items like coffee, chocolate, sugar, rice, etc. Farmers & Artisans tries to find those products from companies that either process in New York State or are organic, and/or use fair- or direct-trade methods.
Between products from their own two companies and the host of other local products they sell, Farmers & Artisans are truly living up to their name.
To learn more about Farmers & Artisans, please visit their website.
Farmers & Artisans Hours:
76 E Spring St Mon - Fri: 10am - 7pm
Williamsville, NY 14221 Sat: 9am - 5pm
716-633-2830 Sun: CLOSED
