The hot temperatures didn’t stop people from coming out to the Hutchinson Farmers Market Wednesday afternoon.
“I’ve been here at every market this season and each market is busier and busier,” said Tiffany Barnard, market volunteer. “I think it’s more because they know there’s more abundance available. The warmer the season gets, the more produce that’s available.”
Many vendors returned this season along with a couple newcomers. Ryan Kuester is a first-time vendor from Bird Island. He decided to start selling at the farmers market after he and his partner realized they were growing too many vegetables in their garden.
“We had talked about doing this probably in the wintertime,” Kuester said. “Threw it out there as a joke, and we want to do a restaurant. He actually works at another garden, so he’s wanted to put both of our expertise together to get to that stage.”
Charlie Mathiowetz is in his third season at the Hutchinson Farmers Market, and this year he added something new. He previously only sold sweet corn, but now he’s offering a variety of USDA inspected pork and beef cuts.
“The beef and pork are raised on our farm,” Mathiowetz said. “When we go to butcher, we haul that to Grove City to Carlson Meat Locker because they’re USDA inspected.”
Chelsea Ziegenhagen is a second-year patron of the Farmers Market. She started coming last year, and her son, Charlie, is in the Power of Produce program, which gives out a $2 token to children to buy fresh vegetables and fruits from the vendors. Market goers beware, children have to re-register each season as the list doesn’t carry over into the new year. She said their favorite items are whatever’s offered that week.
“We like the freshness,” she said.
Children ages 3–12 have the ability to sign up for the POP.
“There’s almost 500 kids signed up for the Power of Produce program,” Barnard said. “The program grows every day. There’s a whole page of kids from last Saturday, and it goes all the way through October, which is new this year.”
There’s even a small kid’s garden on the corner of the depot for children to care for. The garden is owned and sponsored by the University of Minnesota Extension and the McLeod County Master Gardener program. Kids were able to plant it, water it and check out its growth. Some of the garden flowers are edible.
Buyers have the option to participate in the Market Bucks program for people using EBT/SNAP benefits cards. The farmers market will match dollar for dollar of their EBT dollars up to $10.
“$10 dollars of food stamps on your card and we match it up to $10, which is powerful,” Barnard said. “It doubles your money. So we’d love for more people to utilize that.”
Barnard also said the program allows credit and debit card holders to exchange cash off their cards for market bucks to be used in paying for produce. Vendors give back the change in real money so customers aren’t confined to receiving change they can only use at the market.
“It’s a great way for customers who forgot their cards to be able to buy things,” she said.
