In Business: Walker Farmers’ Market Provides Food, Music & Fresh Produce

“I really wanted to create something that was more like an event, like a weekly event and I think when you add food – which is our specialty – and you’ve got music it creates this atmosphere that it just is joyous! You want to come down and just have a good time,” says Erin Haefele, owner of the Green Scene.

There’s a place in Walker where you can pick up what you need for dinner, as well as hang out with all of your neighbors.

“You have a lot of vendors who come and they participate and it’s a good spirit around here. A lot of people are really friendly and they cooperate and they definitely love and enjoy the products that we have,” says Roger Bramble with Bramble’s Bee Farm.

The Green Scene in Walker started hosting the farmers’ market 8 years ago. It’s only held one day a week on Thursdays from June to September and over the years has continued to grow.

“We had about three vendors when we started, we gave away the spots. 8 years later, we have over 40 people here but those three same vendors that were here in the beginning are still here today,” says Haefele.

“There’s a lot of people that come from Iowa and North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin and further away,” adds Jeff Molnar with Molnar Gardens and Farms.

Mixed in with the vendors is music and events like story time for kids. You can also have lunch. There are your regular vendors, but they’re also always switching out, and organizers are also always bringing new ones in.

“It’s a great vibe. We always got the great live music, we’ve got the pizza! People here are awesome! We have the tourists, the cabin goers, the local people who come,” says Emelia Davis, with Happy mama Flower Farm.

“The farmers’ market also gives back by donating a booth to a nonprofit. This week, the Northern Cass Development Activity Center was here.

“We make different kind of rugs and we donate a lot of stuff from our store – Northern Cass,” says Steve Ince, an employee with the Northern Cass DAC.

With a large crowd coming every week, vendors say sometimes it’s hard to keep items on the shelf.

“The last time we came out here, the first time we sold a whole bunch of rugs,” says Ince.

If you’re interested in becoming a vendor at the farmers’ market, you can find the application here.