SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — Right outside of Onondaga Hill sits a farmer’s market vibrant with tradition. has been cultivating more than flowers; they’ve been marinated in tradition. Regardless of troubling times, Silver Springs Farm Market hasn’t forgotten how it all started.
“I was born in Syracuse in 1956. So I’ve been here my whole life. I grew up in the city of Syracuse, and I met a man who lived outside of Onondaga Hill. When we were married, I moved out here,” said owner Sue Luchsinger.
From the moment that Luchsinger married into the Luchsinger family, she became entrenched in the family tradition, which didn’t start as owners of a farmer’s market, but instead as owners of a dairy farm.
“His grandfather came over from Switzerland in the early 1900s and came because he was sponsored to work on a farm just outside of Onondaga Hill,” said Luchsinger.
By 1914, John Luchsinger and his wife, Katherina Luchsinger, would purchase their first farm.
However, it was not until 1938 that their cattle gained recognition, as they won the Premier Breeder Award at the New York State Fair. From that point on, the Luchsinger dairy farm bulldozed forward.
The Luchsinger family has won approximately 50 Premier Breeder awards at the New York State Fair since 1938. A tradition that could be traced back to $1.35 and a pocket full of dreams.
The dairy farm’s success opened up the doors for Sue Luchsinger to eventually buy the building that would become the Farm Market. The market would sell the dairy products from the farm but also have the addition of flowers.
“I love flowers. I am rather obsessed with them. So, I just could see that there was beauty all around me,” said employee April Dolan.
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT
Kye’l Torain: From the moment that Sue got married into the Luchsinger Family, she became entrenched in the family tradition. Which didn’t start as owners of a Farmers Market, but instead as owners of a Dairy Farm.
Sue Luchsinger: “His grandfather came over from Switzerland in the early 1900s and came because he was sponsored to work on a farm just outside of Onondaga Hill…”
Kye’l Torain: By 1914, John Luchsinger and his wife, Katherina Luchsinger, would purchase their first farm. However, it was not until 1938 that their cattle gained recognition, as they won the Premier Breeder Award at the New York State Fair. From that point on, the Luchsinger dairy farm bulldozed forward.The Luchsinger family has won approximately 50 Premier Breeder awards at the New York State Fair since 1938. A tradition that could be traced all the way back to a dollar and thirty-five cents and a pocket full of dreams.
Sue Luchsinger: “I used to buy my flowers here and my produce here, and they had some family problems and had to sell it. And for some crazy reason, we decided to buy it.”
Kye’l Torain: The Dairy Farm’s success opened up the doors for Sue to eventually buy the building that would become the Farmers Market. The Market would sell the dairy products from the farm, but also have the addition of flowers. April Dolan has been in Syracuse for 27 years, and once she found the Farmers Market, she was attracted to it like a Bee to a brightly blooming blossom. But what stayed was the community that rose.
April Dolan: “We have a customer who will buy herbs and veggies and then make us a meal out of it and bring it to us, and we sit down and have lunch together,”
Kye’l Torain: The Luchsinger Family Diary Farm has been a part of the Onondaga community for over 100 years, and it started from a dollar, a dream, and a lot of children. Kye’l Torain, NCC News.
Dolan has been in Syracuse for 27 years, and once she found the Farm Market, she was attracted to it like a Bee to a brightly blooming blossom. But what stayed was the community that rose.
“We have a customer who will buy herbs and veggies and then make us a meal out of it and bring it to us, and we sit down and have lunch together,” said Dolan.