Fabulously fresh: Farmers Market beefs up produce, plant offerings

Further solidifying itself as a top metro-area market contender, the Prior Lake Farmers Market enters its 13th year on Saturday, May 10 with new selections and old favorites.

With the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community (and its Wozupi organic garden) as a new sponsor, the Prior Lake Farmers Market will offer a wider selection of fresh produce — something market-goers have increasingly requested, said organizer Karla Haugen.

A cut-flowers vendor and planting baskets from local greenhouse Sailer’s also are new, by popular request. On the food front, Haugen has added a smoked salmon vendor and specialty cooking oils by Olive Grove.

But that’s not all. Visitors to the market also will be treated to organic Chai and “secret stash” muffins by Winter Goddess, fresh breakfast burritos cooked in Tollefson Family Grill’s food truck and apple chips from the orchards at Farmington-based Brand Farms.

“The muffins are to die for,” Haugen said. “I think those will be really big sellers.”

Fans of the market will be glad to know that 100 percent of last year’s vendors will return. Haugen believes this will be the market’s best season yet, with more flowers, vegetables, fresh food and an increasingly “symbiotic” relationship with community groups — including the Downtown Business Association, which sponsored the first-ever Prior Lake Winter Market this year.

“This is what I always had hoped for, with the market — all of these different parties in the community coming together,” Haugen said.

“Our market has always offered a lot of different types of natural and organic products, and customers are catching up with those healthy things,” she added.

A different visiting artist attends the market each week, offering everything from woven rugs to pottery to wrought-iron art. Local authors and musicians make appearances, people stroll with their dogs (who happily chomp on doggy treats from vendors), and a weekly Master Gardener’s booth educates backyard gardeners.

This year, fans can join an email list and get special savings in their inboxes each Friday. Signup starts soon at the market’s website, www.priorlakefarmersmarket.com.

The market also presents an opportunity for young people, as Haugen is seeking to hire junior or senior high students to help on-site (one job entails dressing up as a vegetable to lure customers). For job opportunities and more, email khaugenlc@hotmail.com.

The Prior Lake Farmers market runs from 8 a.m. to noon every Saturday in downtown Prior Lake, on Main Street just off Highway 13 and County Road 21.

The SMSC also has its own farmers market at the SMSC Community Center from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Fridays (beginning the last Friday in May).

Source:  www.priorlakefarmersmarket.com