MANISTIQUE, Mich. (WZMQ) – Farmers market season is in full swing across the U.P., and it kicked off in Manistique Wednesday evening.
Founded in 2010, the Manistique Farmers Market continues to draw a large crowd season after season. This year, the market has moved to Triangle Park, with the neighboring Lake Effect Community Arts Center offering a sheltered space for vendors in inclement weather.
“The people of Manistique look forward to this every year, even people who call this place home for half of the year,” said Emily Navarra, one of the new market managers. “We are grateful to the founders, Kerry and Allan Ott, for making this possible. For me, the most important this is bringing a greater access to fresh food for our community.”
There are currently 15 vendors at the Manistique Farmers Market. Among those providing fresh food is Kush & Pronk Farm.
“We do a little bit of everything,” said co-owner Dominic Guzzetta. “We have succulents, wild leeks, farm-fresh eggs, freshly baked bread this morning. We also have knit hats, Angora fiber, and we are advertising some pollinator gardens that we install too. A lot of different things, and that’s kind of just the surface of what we’re getting into.”
Shoppers will also find flowers, woodworking, and educational resources from the Schoolcraft Conservation District and MSU Extension. Vendor Venture UP Farm offers a variety of natural personal care products.
“We grew lavender and we have bees, and we started making body products,” owner and operator Lori Williams said. “Soap, body scrubs, lip balm, body lotion bars, shampoo bars, and conditioner bars.”
For first-time vendors like Williams, the market is a new experience.
“Exciting and scary at the same time I guess,” she laughed. “Just recognition and a quality product for the consumer.”
For all of the vendors, it is an opportunity to network with other farmers and artisans and to grow their reach in the community.
“We do quite a few markets throughout the area, so we’re really happy to get out and expand and be able to seek out new communities to get our products into and help our business grow,” Guzzetta said.
“It offers them an opportunity to make money, to get people to know who they are on a weekly basis without having to have a whole shop in order to sell and make money, which is really nice,” said market co-manager Eric Meftah.
The Manistique Farmers Market runs from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. every Wednesday through October 30. For updates on the market and to see more of what vendors have to offer, visit the Manistique Farmers Market Facebook page.
For information on Kush & Pronk, visit the farm’s website, Instagram, or Facebook page. To learn more about Venture UP, visit the farm’s Facebook page or email ventureupfarm@gmail.com.
