When you're on the hunt for a vintage gem, nothing bests searching through brick-and- mortar antique shops …and Ballston Spa is brimming with them!

Farm Hands Country Market offers antiques, upcycled hand painted furniture, jewelry, fine art, luxurious alpaca apparel and stuffed animals, plus much more! With world travel and vast buying experience, and a well-honed eye for fashion trends, Mary curates an eclectic array of art, fashion, home decor, and custom products. Keeping on trend, FHCM is a source for "Modern Farm House" style. Mary scours the nearby farms to find authentic vintage farm implements and furniture that has become thoughtfully aged with "chippy" paint, a home designers dream find!

Firsthand Experience

As a student of the arts, Mary studied fine art at NYU, and fashion design at FIT, basic law at Baruch college and marketing at Mary Mount Manhattan, all in NYC. Mary worked her way up in the Fashion Industry to become Vice President of a major fashion corporation. After retiring from the industry, she "went to work" reinventing and rediscovering her artistic abilities. True to her sense of style, dedication to improving the environment, and a lifetime of obtaining skills, Mary became involved with "up cycled" painted furniture in 2012 and successfully sold and shipped worldwide online. She moved to Saratoga Springs to learn to relax after a hectic career, but instead started volunteering in the area. Then after years of collecting decided to open a shop.

A New Shopping Experience

"Farm Hands Country Market" located at 252 Milton Ave in Ballston Spa was slated to open in 2019 but was stymied by building delays and then pandemic closings. Mary continued to sell online then finally officially opened in December 2021 thus marking a first successful year anniversary which she will be celebrating December 2022. All dressed up and ready for the holidays FHCM is packed with new merchandise including Luxury Alpaca Sweaters, Hats, Gloves, Scarfs, Shawls, Jackets, and alpaca fur animals …gifts for men, women and children! She is also offering Vintage Jewelry, Antiques, Fina China dinner wear, and of course painted furniture. Mary is always looking for new and interesting items to offer. She now has Fresh from a Georgia Farm Gourmet Nuts including Sweet Glazed Pecans, Walnuts, Cashews, and almonds from "The Nut House," Jams and Jelly from "Stitches & Time" and special Local Ballston Spa Honey from "A's Bees.” Keeping on trend, Mary also collects Mid Century Modern furniture, Art Glass, Lighting, Fine Art, and she currently has an Original Adrian Pearsall Coffee table in the window.

Lending A Hand

"We are all compassionate human beings with heart, and we all need to help each other when we can" Mary started to go to farm auctions to purchase antiques and discovered that alpacas were being auctioned who needed medical attention. Mary started a non-profit organization "Rosie to the Rescue" to dedicate personal funds to purchase these dear animals and get them the medical attention they need. When she opened FHCM and added alpaca merchandise to the selection, the funds went to getting the alpacas the surgery or shearing or vet examines they needed. The rescue work now includes goats, and horses, with profits going to their medical needs. Another new addition is a whimsical collection of Laser Cut jewelry, handmade and painted by a local veteran and in the spirit of giving back, the profits are shared with Wounded Worriers and trained companion therapy dogs.

"Giving back is not a frivolous thing for me" it's a necessity in our world today.

Farm Hands Country Market, 252 Milton Ave., Ballston Spa 518-867-6707 open Tuesday through Sunday 11-6:30 p.m. 

Look for them on December 2nd at the First Friday Ballston Spa Holiday Parade dressed up in Prairie garb serving holiday cookies, treats and hot mulled cider.