WAUSA – The third annual Wausa Farmers’ Market is scheduled to return for the summer season.
The 2024 edition of the farmers’ market will begin on June 12 and will be held every other Wednesday until the last one on the Saturday of Labor Day weekend.
The dates for the farmers’ market are June 12, June 26, July 10, July 24, Aug. 7, Aug. 21 and Aug. 31. The event will be held from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Lied Lincoln Township Library in Wausa, though the Labor Day weekend one will be held from 9-11 a.m. that Saturday morning.
The farmers’ market started in 2022 and is an event put on by members of the Wausa Community Club.
“The intent was to promote our local talents and encourage people of all ages to gather and enjoy all things handmade, homemade and homegrown,” said Rebecca Munter, a member of the farmers’ market planning committee. “In a culture where we are continually surrounded by instant gratification, there are a lot of dying arts, crafts and talents.
“We are striving to create an atmosphere where we share ideas and recipes, get creative and learn how to make things from scratch,” she said. “We want people to slow down and enjoy all the things the market has to offer and really turn it into more of a social gathering.”
To achieve this goal, planning committee members are trying to line up live music, games for children, raffles, local food trucks and a variety of vendors for the season.
Munter noted they are hoping to line up local entertainment for each farmers’ market this year.
“We were able to add a few musicians last year, and it got to a point where people were bringing their lawn chairs, hoping for entertainment,” Munter said.
“We are going to try to provide a continuous supply of entertainment to create a welcoming atmosphere where people might stay longer and chat,” she said.
The farmers’ market also will have some games and activities for kids, such as cornhole, and animal stamp books to entertain children so adults can focus on shopping and socializing.
“A new addition this year will be our raffles, in which we will be raffling off items from a vendor each event,” said Amy Burns, a member of the planning committee. “Folks coming to the event can seek a raffle ticket when they visit the head table during the market for a chance at the vendor item for the week. Tickets will be drawn near the end of the night.”
Last year, the farmers’ market emphasized children’s involvement and encouraged kids to be vendors.
“We had kids that sold things they made themselves, such as hand sanitizers, squishies and jewelry,” Munter said. “That was a great addition, and people loved supporting their creativity and rewarding them for their drive.
“The more involvement from all ages, the more these types of events will become part of our community and bridge generational gaps,” she said.
When she thinks of a farmers’ market, she thinks of fresh produce, and she believes a lot of other people think the same way.
“One recurring comment has been, why isn’t there more produce?” Munter said. “It is tough, and we have been trying to line up as much local produce as possible. The organizers have even taken it upon themselves to grow things to have at the market, but life comes up and garden space is limited.
“Another big reason there is not that much produce is because a lot of people give their stuff away elsewhere that they grow, or they simply just don’t have enough excess in their gardens each year,” she said.
Planning committee members encourage anyone with a green thumb to plant additional items this year in their gardens and to bring them to the farmers’ market.
“You don’t have to sell your stuff,” Munter said. “The farmers’ market can be a place you bring your produce to give away, too. Come to enjoy the food truck, music, vendors, and share your growing tips and trade secrets with us. We would love to have you.”
The farmers’ market is looking for anyone who would like to share their talents.
“Any groups or clubs that have prepared projects and would like to showcase their talents to the community are welcome,” Burns said. “We thought it would be great to get the 4-H kids involved, showing off their projects, or even bringing their animals to get some practice showing them.”
If people are interested in learning more about the farmers’ market, they are encouraged to call 402-841-1494 or contact the library at 402-586-2454 or at [email protected].
“We look forward to another year,” Munter said.
The dates for the farmers’ market are June 12, June 26, July 10, July 24, Aug. 7, Aug. 21 and Aug. 31.
