We’re so ready to kick off this White Bear Lake Winter Farmers Market season. What started small has grown to be a much anticipated community-wide event each winter.
This season’s market dates are set for November 13 th , December 11th and January 8th. The markets will run 10am to 2pm outdoors, right in front of Tamarack Nature Center. Bringing together local farmers, makers and community is the driving force behind the event- which continues to evolve each year.
Last year because of Covid, we moved the event outside and you, the community, didn’t skip a beat! Local food lovers don’t seem to mind an outdoor event, and with Ramsey County Park buildings still closed, we’ll be staying outside again this year. Of course, we’re making it extra cozy, with free hot apple cider from Pine Tree Apple Orchards, and a warming fire pit courtesy of Tamarack Nature Center.
Market Details
Shoppers will find twenty local farmers and craft food makers with fan favorites and specialty items you won’t find anywhere else. A sampling of items available include fresh microgreens, sauerkraut, scones and cookies, apples, meats, eggs, cheeses, sourdough breads, kombucha, jellies, salmon, soups, hot sauces, fermented veggies, maple syrup, freeze dried fruits and veggies, winter storage crops, croissants… and even dog treats. Whew!
Top that off with a food truck (Brick Oven Pizza Bus in Nov + Jan) and some cider by a fire, a walk in the woods around Tamarack and you’ve got a fun family outing while supporting local food and small businesses!
I’m so proud of the great partnership with Tamarack Nature Center and recently wrote them and their Teaching Gardens a love letter of sorts. If you’d like to know a little more about the Nature Center and all it has to offer (hint, I bet it is more than you think) check out my article HERE.
Local Food Love
We keep the farmers and vendors hyper local, right from the surrounding areas- except the flash frozen Alaskan Salmon, which comes straight from Matt’s fishing boat in, you guessed it, Alaska 😉 I also keep this winter market focused on foods, there are some natural crafts and green living products sprinkled in, but my passion -and the vendors’- is eating local food all year long!
Wanting to share information about eating local is why I started both Forks in the Dirt and this winter market. I truly believe that if we all ate more local and less food shipped in from across the country we could live healthier, grow the economy and make a huge impact on climate change. We get to vote with each meal! Find out more about why I eat more local year-round HERE.
I’d like to give a shout out to the “Local Food Is Essential” Campaign here in Minnesota and Wisconsin. They work to brig local food to the forefront with small changes. Take their Local Food Pledge today!
Farmers + Vendors
I’ve curated a diverse and high-quality crew of vendors and farmers again this year! Find out more about each of them from the Market Page.
THANK YOU FARMERS
+ CRAFT FOOD MAKERS!
Chef’s House Virtual Cooking Classes
Community Partnerships
The farmers and vendors are a huge part of why you come to shop the event, but behind the scenes are a few key community players as well! Big thanks to Tamarack Nature Center for hosting the event, and making it work both inside and out over the years. Pine Tree Apple Orchard has supported us with free hot apple cider for each event all the years- now that’s a LOT of good local cider!
The event itself began because of a community grant awarded to Michelle of Forks in the Dirt by “Bear Power” a part of Power Up, a local initiative to get families eating healthy and moving more! We’ve had community groups from the WBL Seed Library, the WBL Food Shelf, the Ramsey County Master Gardeners and the Pollinator Friendly Alliance sharing local living green information as well.
We will be following MN State and CDC Covid safety guidelines. For now this means attempting to stay socially distanced, and if unable to do so wearing a mask. Vendors will have extra precautions in place, and many of them do have pre-order options available as well!
Connections
I love this market for all the connections it facilitates! Follow along on the Facebook Event for updates, vendor and item highlights- plus there might just be a fun giveaway or two over there as well…
This season promises to be another full of local food love, community support along with a chance to get out and get together as a community during winter- even during covid. We hope to see you there!
Dig Into local food with us!
Michelle
I'd love to hear your thoughts!