Farmer's Market season is here

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) – School is almost out and the weather is heating up so that means farmers market season is starting up.

Here’s a look at local farmers markets and what they’re offering this year.

Falls Park Farmers Market

Falls Park

Saturdays 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. from May to October.

May 4 was the first weekend for the Falls Park Farmers Market. Nicky VanDerWerff, a Falls Park Farmers Market board member, said the kickoff to the 2024 season was good.

“The turnout was great,” VanDerWerff said. “The weather was a little, not quite as nice as we were hoping, but people still showed up and everyone was happy to be there. So, I think a lot of the vendors are really happy with the turnout.”

This year, the farmers market has 34 vendors this year, including six new additions. Coffea Roasteries is taking over Cherry Bean Coffee’s spot and Sunny Side Up Cafe is replacing Orange Creek Farms as a breakfast food vendor. Other new vendors include Au Natural Dried Fruits, Just Fudge It and Hopp’d Water.

Leifstyle Baking is another new vendor this year and they offer bagels, cinnamon rolls, cookies and sourdough bread. Owner Pearl Leiferman said she sold out of all her bread during the first weekend.

“I think I underestimated how much bread I needed to bring,” Leiferman said. “I thought 100 loaves of bread would be enough, it definitely was not. I’m just trying to keep up with that and produce more than that in my little home kitchen. It was exciting though.”

The market also has returning vendors offering different food and beverage options, as well as retail spots for jewelry, soap, pottery and houseplants.

Every Saturday is booked for entertainment, VanDerWerff said. The bands Short Notice and Common Ground have multiple appearances throughout the season, along with many local artists.

Parking has also changed slightly this year because they expanded the vendor area, Lanoue said.

Brandon Farmers Market

925 N Splitrock Blvd

Saturdays 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. from May to October.

This year, the Brandon Farmers Market has 33 vendors, including new vendors for beef, dog treats, caramel corn and more.

“It’s always fun to see what people grow for new things or even just new items that people come up with to sell,” Brandon Farmers Market Manager Julie Lanoue said.

This is the second year the farmers market is located in the Lippert Manufacturing parking lot, right off the interstate. Before that, the market was held near Kingbird Coffee. Lanoue said since moving the market, they’ve seen more customers.

“People told me we really expanded after moving there, but we had the space to accommodate it,” she said. “Just being so close to the interstate, we get a lot of people that will stop to gas up and then they see the market, they might be travelers.”

The South Dakota Aerial and Arts will be performing during the May 11 farmers market.

Downtown Hartford Market

Last Thursday of the Month

The first date for the Downtown Hartford Market is Thursday, May 30 from 5-8:30. Creekside Meats, Brosia Bowl and Tacos DeGringo will cater the first market.

The other four markets will be June 27, July 25, August 29 and September 26.

According to the Downtown Hartford Farmers Market social media, they will have handmade crafts and homegrown produce from vendors in 15 communities.