The Minneapolis Farmers Market returns this weekend, and it's their 150th year.
"We are offering everything now from produce to olive oil to prepared food and everything in between," says the market's executive director and manager Ashley Nathe.
She says this year's market features 128 different vendors, and once again, massive crowds are expected.
"Everybody wants to bring their mom down and get her a hanging basket or a bouquet of flowers and a coffee," Nathe explains. "I would say that's my busiest day. And then we see another influx when produce really hits the market. So, think of when sweet corn comes in mid-July, we really see a lot of people hungry to get that sweet corn."
Nathe does say it's a costly time for producers, however, and those prices could certainly be reflected when people get to the market.
"Personally, I'm hearing that fertilizer costs have gone up, employment rates have obviously gone up with inflation," she said. "Everything has gone up, and they're seeing it hardest at the beginning of the season here with buying all their seeds, their fertilizer, their plug plants. So they're definitely feeling it."
The market's giving away 150 totes Saturday and Sunday to the first 150 shoppers. But, Mother's Day weekend is still their busiest weekend of the year.
"One of my vendors referred to it as the greatest show on Earth, and I always joke, I always laugh when he jokes about that," Nathe adds. "But it really is like the state fair of farmers' markets because there isn't anything that you really can't get while you're there."
The market runs 6:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, then 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. The market runs every week until the end of October.
The majority of farmers markets across the metro area begin opening the first weekend in May. You can find locations statewide here.
Minneapolis Farmers Market
Where: Along East Lyndale Ave. North, between North 3rd Ave. and Cesar Chavez Ave.
When: Every Wednesday-Sunday May through October. 6am-1pm on weekends, 7am-1pm on weekdays.
