Lanoue plants idea for local farmers market
Julie Lanoue plants more in her four gardens every summer than her family needs, which has led the rural Garretson woman to organize a local farmers’ market. Submitted photo
Jill Meier
Journal editor
Julie Lanoue plants four large gardens every year.
“That’s my big hobby,” she said. “I grow enough that I can a lot, but I always seem to have more than I can eat.”
And that’s what led the rural Garretson woman to create a Facebook page - Brandon SD Farmers Market 2018 – as a way to seek out interest in establishing a farmers market in Brandon next year. The response has been favorable in the short time the Facebook page has been up, drawing 240 likes as of last week.
“I’d like to get a nice variety of vendors,” Lanoue said. “There’s already a local beef and pork producer, a local free-range egg producer and a woman who sells jar cakes.”
Vendors can sell wares, such as fresh flowers, vegetables, fruits, meats, baked goods, crafts and more. Lanoue said rules for the Brandon Farmers’ Market would largely mimic the rules established for the Falls Park Farmers’ Market in Sioux Falls.
“It has to be hand-crafted, homemade or home-grown,” she said.
Lanoue is tentatively planning for the market to be open 18 Saturdays starting in June through September from 8 a.m. to 12 noon. Gypsy Trading Co. owners Ellison and Billy Cutrer have offered up space in their parking lot, and if there is enough interest and product, Lanoue said a weeknight market may also be considered.
When Lanoue brought her idea to City Hall, she received favorable response, she said.
“Right now, there’s nothing in the ordinance that pertains to farmers market vendors,” said Lanoue, who plans to bring the idea to amend the city’s sidewalk vendors ordinance before the Brandon Council in January.
Lanoue is also considering imposing a registration fee, which would be used for advertising purposes. Any unused registration fees would be paid back to the weekly participating vendors, she added.
“We want to make sure they come every week or most weeks,” Lanoue said.
Lanoue is also considering staging weekly entertainment - local musicians, for instance – and said organizations, such as dance groups, selling donuts, for example, could set up shop, too.
The mission statement of the Falls Park Farmers’ Market is to promote the development of local small scale agricultural and specialty products by providing a dynamic “producer only” market place to make available their products to the consumers of the greater Sioux Falls area.”
If you are interested in being a vendor for the Brandon Farmers’ Market, messages may be directed to Lanoue through the Brandon SD Farmers Market 2018 Facebook page.
