NJ Winter Farmers Market: Saturdays in Cranford through March 19

Dragonfly Beach Rock Charms by Aimee Zollinger of Sayerville are among locally made crafts available at Cranford Artisan's Market at Cranford Community Center.Even if there's snow on the ground, you can still have some of your favorite tastes of summer at the weekly Cranford Artisan's Market, a winter market at Cranford Community Center, 220 Walnut Ave.

Regular shoppers at any of the seasonal Union County farmers markets might be missing the salty-sour treat of a fat, juicy pickle or a custom-blended handful of nuts and dried fruit as a healthy treat to fuel non-stop activities.

You'll find Picklicious and Gourmet Nuts and Dried Fruit along with other food and crafts vendors at this indoor winter farmers market that brings all sorts of fun to the Cranford Community Center every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. through March 19.

“We're the only market in Union County that runs in the winter, says Jackie Carr, who also organizes the Cranford Farmers Market during its season.

There's at least one farm represented in Norz Hill Farm of Hillsborough, which offers market visitors its farm-raised beef, pork and eggs. Hoboken Farms isn't a true farm in the sense of growing fruits and veggies, but if you buy the fresh-baked loaves of the Summit shop's artisanal breads on a market Saturday, you can spread slices with sweet or savory Jams by Kim, another market food purveyor.

Jams by Kim come in two dozen flavors, a rotating variety of which is available at Cranford Artisan's Market.

Get your dog some gourmet treats from Woof Biscuits, where flavors include cheeseburger, roasted chicken and peanut butter. There's also chicken, steak and turkey jerky.

Looking for gifts for Valentine's Day or Mother's Day? Consider hand-crafted options such as soaps beautifully scented with natural essential oils and made of moisture-rich goat's milk. There are inspirational beach rock charms and cork message boards cut in every letter of the alphabet and many fun shapes too.

Some vendors attend the market on a rotating basis, so there are always new items and foods to discover. Last week, Hoboken Farms had fresh mozzarella and addictive olive bread. We also took home mini tins of frozen chicken meatballs, eggplant parm and lobster ravioli ($8 each or three for $20) from Paolo's Kitchen of New Providence. They reheated well, and the standout sauces were delicious enough to eat like soup. No pasta required.

Cupcakes from Cupcake Dynasty were perfect portions, and at just $2 each, these sweets were light as air. If you've never had handcrafted granola, try a sample from Krunch Kitchen. The blends are baked with olive oil and real maple syrup for the natural flavor of homemade – even though they're made in a commercial kitchen. The blends had enough nuts, seeds and dried fruit to make them worth the $15 we paid for a one-pound bag.

Those who appreciate crafty recycling will love The Green Ladybug's sturdy crocheted bags. The “yarn” is spirals of plastic cut from supermarket bags in various colors. Prices ranged from $15 for a basic tote to $25 for a yoga tote with mat included.

Carr has arranged for live music most weeks. Last Saturday children requested music for dancing and parents sang along as The Back Porch Jug Band – complete with washtub bass -- played for most of the day. To heighten the fun on the upcoming Valentine's Day weekend, Carr has arranged for another band, Cafe Mocha, and a gift basket giveaway with prizes from participating vendors. Entry tickets are free to everyone who visits the market.

“My concept was farms, food and friends,” Carr said. “Last year it was just a good place for people to get together in the winter and to get some wonderful products.”

This year, some of the best conversations to be had are with the vendors. You'll learn how soap maker Tracee Palmer raises her own goats, about how Neshanic Valley Beekeepers' honey straight from the hive has a variety of flavors that you can't be found at the average supermarket. We were especially inspired by the way crafting helped Susan Engler cope with her treatment in a winning fight against cancer. She has been cancer-free since 2013, and offered hand-painted plaques that proclaim “Cancer doesn't live here anymore,” along with her beautifully hand-painted bird houses that were among popular options for Mother's Day shoppers.