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Retail produce auction takes place weekly

Submitted Photo: The Chautauqua Produce Auction will be offering Retail Auctions every Monday starting at 5 p.m. through June in Clymer.

CLYMER — Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chautauqua County’s Agricultural Program is excited to announce that the Chautauqua Produce Auction now features a retail auction in addition to the wholesale opportunities.

Cornell Cooperative Extension provides technical support to the Produce Auction and its growers.

A new feature at this year’s Chautauqua Produce Auction is the addition of a retail auction, to be held on Monday evenings, which provide an opportunity for consumers to buy smaller quantities at retail prices. Monday auctions begin at 5 p.m., and will continue through June with the potential to continue through the season based on interest.

The Chautauqua Produce Auction is located in Clymer at 7844 Route 474. The standard wholesale auctions are every Tuesday and Friday throughout the season, typically May through October, starting at 10 a.m.

The new Monday events will still follow an auction format, but produce will be sold in smaller quantities. This will allow the general public a chance to enjoy smaller quantities that will serve one or two people for preservation or consumption. For example, during these retail auctions, the buyer who wins the bid may choose one, two or three plants rather than having to buy a whole lot of 10 plants as they must do at the Tuesday and Friday wholesale auctions. The Produce Auction operates like a typical auction, but there are many people around to help a new buyer establish an account and learn about the bidding process. Examples of what you might find at a Monday auction include hanging baskets, 4-inch pots of flowers, flats of flowers or vegetables, patio tomatoes, eggs, rhubarb, strawberries, baked goods, gardening supplies or planters. A small food stand is also available. There is adequate parking and loading docks available, as well.

The wholesale auction has been an asset to the community since 2003, and offers fresh fruits and vegetables, plants, flowers and other items that are sourced from local growers, primarily from Chautauqua County. They follow a strict food safety plan that is certified yearly and includes a traceability policy for all fruits and vegetables sold at the auction.

You can learn more about the Chautauqua Produce Auction by contacting Nancy Westerberg at 499-6391 or nwesterberg@stny.rr.com.

Chautauqua County is home to over 1,500 farms, and more than 100 are selling their products directly to consumers, through farm stores, roadside stands, the Chautauqua Produce Auction and farmers’ markets. For a complete listing of farm stands and farmers’ markets, or to learn more about the Produce Auction, visit Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Local Food Guide, “Chautauqua Grown,” online at www.cce.cornell.edu/chautauqua/cg.

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