May 5, 2022

Farmers markets at Falls Park and in Brandon kick off Saturday, and more are coming in June.

Falls Park Farmers Market

The market on the north end of Falls Park opens Saturday with 32 vendors.

It will be set up like last year with vendors surrounding the shelter, which offers picnic tables, said Nate Van Zweden, a board member for the nonprofit that organizes the seasonal market. That offers shoppers a place to eat a meal from one of many prepared food vendors and listen to live music.

Vendors range from vegetable, meat and egg farmers to flower growers and artisans.

Produce offerings will expand as the season progresses, but Van Zweden expects there will be a lot of fresh greens to start. Bedding plants, vegetables and herbs will be available in May for those who want to start their own gardens.

Among the new producers this year is Nebraska-based Robinson Ranch, which will sell grass-fed, grain-finished beef that can be traced from its herd to the customer’s plate.

Two new food trucks are joining the market. ‘Brosia Bowl features plant-based meals. Owner Darcy Green said she’ll offer two or three breakfast items and two or three hot meals and salads for lunch.

Chizlickers offers “classic South Dakota recipes with fresh ingredients from local farms.” For chislic, the food truck will start with beef and is working to secure a local supply for sheep and buffalo, said owner Alex Koltze, who also runs Sweetgrass Farm with his wife. It also will serve French toast, bratwurst and French fries, using ingredients provided by other vendors at the market, he said.

Skipping Stone is back for its 10 year selling wood-fired pizzas, Orange Creek Farms will have sandwiches, Cherrybean Coffee Co. and Parable Coffee Co. will serve hot and cold drinks, and Songbird Kombucha will have fermented tea. There will be popcorn, nuts and baked goods to snack on.

Market hours are 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday through Oct. 29.

See the full list of vendors at fallsparkfarmersmarket.com.

Brandon Farmers Market

The farmers market in Brandon starts Saturday and will run through Oct. 29. Hours are 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the parking lot at 515 N. Splitrock Blvd.

“We have a lot of new vendors and new food trucks for us,” said organizer Julie Lanoue of Lanoue Gardens of Garretson.

The Brandon Farmers Market doesn’t require vendors to come every week, so while there are about 50 signed up for this year, a typical Saturday averages 20 producers, crafters and product vendors, Lanoue said. When it started five years ago, “at most we had maybe 10 vendors a week then,” she said. “We have grown tremendously.”

In addition to vegetables, “we have some baked goods, canned goods, pork and beef, fresh eggs, dried fruit and an orchard coming later this summer. We have fresh-cut flowers, we have people who do crafts. There are unique birdhouses and we have a 3D printer that’s coming out later this summer.”

Because of the cooler spring, many producers are getting a later start, but shoppers will find “early spring greens – spinach and lettuce – and maybe some radishes.”

Each week features two or three food trucks, and sometimes there is live music.

Last year, the farmers market tried expanding to Thursday nights in July and August but had trouble finding vendors, so that won’t be offered this year, Lanoue said.

But the expansion into an indoor market the past two winters has been successful, she said. The monthly events drew more than 20 vendors.

The Brandon Farmers Market has added a website this season, and Lanoue said she’ll list the vendors who are coming that week. Customers also can find updates on the market’s Facebook page.

Lake Lorraine Farmers Market

The weekly farmers market at Lake Lorraine on the west side of Sioux Falls is back for its fourth year.

Hours are 4 to 7 p.m. Thursdays from June 2 into October, “as long as the weather cooperates,” said Amy Smolik, community director for the development between Marion Road and Interstate 29 south of 26th Street. The market will be in the same spot as last year – in the parking lot south of Hobby Lobby. When October comes, hours shift to 4 to 6:30 p.m.

“We are excited to have a number of returning vendors from past years and will have lots of vegetables, meats, eggs, honey, baked goods and more for shoppers,” Smolik said. “We do have room to add a few more vendors.”

Information on becoming a vendor is available here.

Special events returning this year include the Acton Academy Children’s Business Fair on June 30 and Pumpkin Day on Sept. 29.

Find updates on the farmers market’s Facebook page.

Downtown Hartford Market

The market that covers a couple of blocks on Main Street will be back on the first Thursdays of the month from June through September and on the last Thursday of September.

“We focus on homegrown and handmade vendors,” said Callie Tuschen, president of Downtown Hartford Inc. She’s expecting about 30 producers and crafters this year.

Youth entrepreneurs can get a reduced rate.

“This will give them an opportunity to learn about creating a product and running a business,” she said.

“We have a lot more family-friendly activities planned for this year like Touch a Truck, scavenger hunts, lots of things for families to do together.”

Each market will feature live music and two food trucks.

Hours are 5 to 8:30 p.m.

Find updates on Downtown Hartford’s Facebook page. 

Canton Open Air Market

In its third year, the Canton Open Air Market is held every Thursday night from June through August in Jack Fox Park, which is north of the Lincoln County Courthouse.

Hours are 5 to 7 p.m. This season, 15 to 20 vendors are expected, said organizer Jenny Gubbels of Good Life Farms, which she and her husband started in 2019 on the west side of town.

With two years of success behind it, the farmers market is applying for nonprofit status, “hoping to become more of a permanent fixture in the community,” Gubbels said.

In addition to two produce farmers, vendors include everything from handmade cards and candles to clothing and jewelry. Vendors pay $15 per night and can email [email protected] to get signed up. Nonprofits can set up for free, Gubbels said.

Live music and food trucks are booked for every week, along with the Rainy Day Coffee Co. food truck. Groups like the Boys Scouts are there selling hot dogs or other food.

Find updates on the market’s Facebook page.

There’s also a Harvest Festival from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 10 with vendors, kids activities and a Boy Scouts pancake feed.

There’s also an informal farmers market that pops up on Wednesday evenings starting in June in the parking lot of The Canton Depot, 600 W. Fifth St.

Dell Rapids Farmers Market

The Dell Rapids Farmers Market will be open on four Saturday mornings from late July through early September in the city park.

The market typically draws 18 to 20 vendors each week offering produce, baked goods and crafts.

Hours and dates for the market are 9 a.m. to noon July 30, Aug. 13 and 27, and Sept. 10 with a pumpkin fest.

Find updates on the market’s Facebook page. 

Farmer’s Market at Stacey’s Store

The farmers market at Stacey’s Vintage-Art-Boutique won’t return this year.

Look’s Marketplace

The organizer of the twice-a-week farmers market in the parking lot at Look’s Marketplace is retiring, so “as of right now … we decided to let it go this year,” said Beau Vondra, co-owner of the marketplace. “We’ll look at revisiting it in the future.”