Prior Lake Farmer's Market opens May 5

Prior Lake American

Now that the long months of winter have come to an end, signs of spring are rushing in — and one of those signs is the start of the Prior Lake Farmer’s Market.

The market will start May 5 and run every Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon until about mid-October, weather depending. It’s the market’s 16th year of operation.

Even with the wild winter weather running as late as April, market owner and manager Karla Haugen said most vendors should be ready to go for opening day.

“We have a lot of different types of vendors and a lot of those are not weather dependent,” Haugen said. “I’m sure having snow two weeks before the market is supposed to start is a bummer but a lot of people have greenhouses.”

Every vendor from last year is returning as well as some new vendors, such as a nursery and an organic lawn care company. The market will continue to have food trucks and live music.

“I don’t think there is any market around that has the variety we do,” Haugen said. “I hear a lot of people say ‘I come down here because I can’t believe I can get this or that.’”

This or that includes organic and fresh fruit and vegetables, baked goods, honey, tea, root beer, horseradish, artwork and more.

“We have a lot of organic and natural things, that was No. 1 when we started,” Haugen said.

Sense of community

Haugen said that one of her goals when starting the market was to create a sense of community. On May 26, the farmer’s market will host a prayer blessing where attendees from a variety of backgrounds can come together, Haugen said.

“I always try to look at things with a positive perspective but that being said, you can’t have rose-colored glasses in the world,” she said. “We need to start working together. We need to start coming together as families and a community.”

It’s the first time the market will host a prayer blessing. For several years, the market has also done a “market basket” filled with fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, bread and more and given it to a person or persons in need in the community.

“That’s something we do and I’m always open to people in the community who are like, ‘Oh, I know this person could use a little bit of help,’” Haugen said.

The farmer’s market also features a number of local businesses so that residents can be encouraged to buy local, Haugen said.

“The thing is, if we want to have options like local stores, then we need to cast our vote there,” she said. “We need to support local businesses.”

The farmer’s market will be located in downtown Prior Lake on Main Avenue from Edelweiss Bakery to D Copperfield Jeweler.