Freshness

With few exceptions, produce is brought to market the same day or within a day of picking. That’s fresh! Fresh products are crisp, have good texture, and taste better.

Flavor

Fruits like strawberries and tomatoes are picked when ripe, not before. Ripened on the tree or vine adds significantly to flavor.

Variety

Farmers bring many different varieties of just about every product. Variety provides a great healthy way to enrich ones life.

Flowers

You simply cannot compare the volume, variety, quality, and freshness of flowers at the farmers markets with what grocery stores offer. With the exception of greenhouse roses, the types of flowers at the market vary with the season. For example, in February-March there are fantastic tulips, and during the summer there are tuberose, sunflowers, zinnias, and many more.

Talk to the farmer

This is really an advantage. Since the person, you buy the product from is the farmer or his/her employee, you can ask anything about the product, for example, where it was grown, what variety it is, if the product was sprayed, and cooking suggestions.

Enjoy visiting with others

You always see people talking to one another, having a good time.

Supporting family operated small farms

Each stall space is used by a different farm. By shopping at farmers markets you are supporting these family operated small farms.

Reducing the carbon footprint

Distance produce travels from farm to you via a grocery store is often greater than 1,000 miles. Transport to and storage at the store often requires refrigeration, and these result in carbon dioxide emissions. At our farmers’ markets average distance traveled is less than 50 miles and there is no refrigeration or storage. Buying at a farmers’ market results in less carbon dioxide emissions.

Minnesota grown

At the farmers’ market, you know that all products sold at our farmers’ markets are grown in Minnesota.