HEART OF STEELE

Despite intermittent rain, the Owatonna Farmers Market kicked off its 2023 season last Saturday, bringing with it the promise of locally raised produce and home-made goods available every Saturday in Central Park.

The contingent of vendors will grow during the season, but shoppers found handmade gifts, early season produce, products made from local honey, fresh-roasted coffee beans, delicious baked goods, and more.

But access to healthful, fresh food is just the tip (and the most delicious part) of the iceberg when it comes to counting down the benefits of having a local market.

There’s also the opportunity to take a walk in the fresh air. Because the park is located in downtown Owatonna, you can expand your stroll, do a little more local shopping, and enjoy the beautiful new streetscape on North Cedar.

Farmers markets provide an opportunity to meet neighbors, make new friends, and have those fun conversations that automatically lift your spirits. This is even more important, as a report released last week warned about an “Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation.”

There’s also a good feeling that comes from meeting the person who made the goods you’re buying. Your dollars benefit them in a very direct way, putting food on the table, covering the cost of a vehicle repair, or paying for a child’s music lesson. 

That kind of direct, face-to-face exchange is personal and honest. You know that a) you’ve bought a quality item and b) you’ve made someone else’s day.

The Farmers Market is also a little business incubator. Entrepreneurs can try out their products and get direct and immediate feedback from their customers. Along with raising funds through sales, they’re learning which items are a hit and which should be put on the back burner.

At least two vendors working Saturday’s market have the goal of moving out of their homes and into a storefront. Hope resident Kate Bahl, whose display of baked goods sold out early, said Owatonna Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Main Street Director Lisa Cochran has already encouraged her to think about adding a bakery to the mix of shops in downtown Owatonna.

As the season continues this spring, summer, and fall–through October–you have plenty of time to enjoy all the benefits of the Owatonna Farmers Market. Trust me, it’ll do your heart a world of good.