As the summer season begins to wind down, the harvest season begins to pick up for area gardeners. That means the Antigo Farmer's Market is nearing its peak season for items up for sale.
During the WATK-AM 900 Arby's Breakfast Club program this week, market board President Renate Bromberg talked about the market and the added attraction for this Saturday. "We have Bonnie Hessedal from Langlade Hospital. She's a dietician at the hospital, and she is returning to the market as a very welcomed guest. And she's going to be preparing grilled pizza."
The presentation is all part of the market's effort to show off what people can do with locally grown produce. Bromberg said that they also do this with a collection of recipes that they give out during the market, along with a newsletter and on their website. "We try to keep the recipes fairly simple, and try to include as many vegetables and fruits of the market in the recipes. So people can see those, go to the market, buy their stuff and try those recipes."
The market has been going on each Saturday morning in downtown Antigo since June. Bromberg said the start of the market was a slow one, mostly due to the late start to the growing season, but with better growing conditions through the summer the market has gotten busier thanks to more people selling their produce and handmade items. "Now the market is at its peak, and we have filled almost all of the vendor spaces. So if you haven't been to the market this year now is the time to come."
The market has also had special attractions to try to get more people to come. These range from live music to food prepared on site to educational materials. This continues through the rest of their season, which concludes on October 1 with their traditional Pumpkin fest.
Bromberg said activities during the fest will be a Halloween costume contest, a guess the weight of a large pumpkin and the popular pumpkin roll. "Where they roll the pumpkin through the parking lot. It's not quite easy to determine who the winner is because those pumpkins have their own way of rolling, and some of them end up underneath the market stands, but everybody is having a great time and they get to take this pumpkin home with them that they rolled across the parking lot. And there are little prizes for the kids."
For more information on the market, you can go online to antigomarket.com