Local Farmer’s Market still ‘growing’ strong

Despite a harsh growing season that stymied crops in the southern portion of the state this season, the Minneota Farmer's Market is still going strong in its third season.

Each Thursday night on the west parking lot of Veterans Park, a variety of vendors have been displaying and selling their products. "We are having increased vendors this year and I'm so excited," said coordinator Jenny Buysse.

"The produce is down due to the weather, but we have a lot of different things."

The Farmer's Market, which has been ongoing for a month so far, runs from 5-7 p.m. on Thursdays. Anyone is invited to join. There is not a cost to being a vendor and no need to pre-register. Just bring the product you want to sell, your own tables and chairs, signs and money to give for change.

"We're hoping we get more produce each week," said Buysse.

"We do have had some vendors selling things like cucumbers, pickles, eggs, jams and honey. And we've had Heritage Meats come in and sell.”

"One person brought leather goods to be sold, someone that sells online clothing brought some of those things to sell, and one lady brought her handmade wooden signs.”

"And we have had someone bring cuttings from lilac bushes, flower cuttings, plants and some other things like that. It's been exciting to see all the different things being brought in this year."

As the growing season continues into late summer and early fall, Buysse is hoping for more produce to be brought in and sold.

"People have been asking for things like tomatoes and we really haven't had many yet," she said.

"And later on, we're hoping to get someone to bring in squash and pumpkins to sell." The final Farmer's Market of the season will be held on Oct. 24, weather permitting.