Farmers market starts summer season (5/5/2021)
Holli Wieser and her sisters just started their candle making business in January. Wieser brought their goods to the Winona Farmers Market (WFM) last weekend as it opened for its summer season. However, she already “can’t wait to come back.” Wieser is one of the vendors joining the WFM as more of its pre-pandemic community-building elements return.
Though WFM organizers and vendors persevered last year and held the event and enthusiastic customers continued to attend, the feeling of community that comes from gathering to learn about and bring home local products was not quite the same as it had been in pre-pandemic years, several organizers and vendors agreed. “And while we had very loyal customers last year, people didn’t feel like they could hang around and have those long, interesting conversations that farmers market customers have,” Market Coordinator Monica DeGrazia said. The community