It’s May – Mill City Farmers Market Time! A photo essay tour

Story and Photos by Susan Schaefer

It's May! It's May!
The lusty month of May!
That lovely month when everyone goes
Blissfully astray.    (From Camelot by Lerner/Lowe)

If your castle happens to be in proximity to Minneapolis’ Central Riverfront, say a stone’s throw from the Mill City Museum, your a’straying on the first weekend of May just may be to, tra lah, Mill City Farmers Market where most of your pleasures, Milords and Ladies, can be blissfully, tastefully, deliciously met.

On this opening morning you may even run into modern Vikings playing “Kubb” in Gold Medal Park. Yup, Kubb - a Swedish lawn game possibly dating back to days of Viking conquest played between two teams attempting to knock over the opposition’s kubbs and finally the king to win the game. Sort of full body chess. All of this is true. I asked Minnesota Kubb director, Eric Goplin, who was, well, almost as lusty about the game as Lerner and Lowe were about It’s May!

 Minnesota Kubb Director Eric Goplin

 Kubbers kubbing

From the jousting kubbers of the 800s heading north you would enter the realm of the 1800s, strolling past the Guthrie Theater’s front door where the harbinger of spring himself, the charming, top-hatted ambassador of not just the theater but of the entire neighborhood, Mr. Herb Stead, welcomes you. Mr. Stead is as treasured an icon as any of Mill City’s other estimable landmarks.

With a tip of his white-gloved hand to his high hat, his smile as wide as the river, “Ambassador” Mr. Stead beckons you on to the market!

Once in Mill City Farmers Market land, I’ve learned to reconnoiter from inside out, zigging first beneath the protective metal shed adjacent to Mill City Museum heading directly to Lynne Reeck and Kate Wall’s Singing Hills Goat Dairy stand, choosing one of their ever changing tangy goat cheese offerings fresh from the farm to the table. Today? Hard goat cheese.

Big smile from Singing Hills

Typically, I then zag over to Martha’s Joy, producer of home style pickle products, to have a short talk with David, husband of the late Martha Jean Harkness Jackson, who carries on his wife’s legacy of bringing zesty locally grown, home canned veggies to many fans. Today’s selection – spicy beets, after all, there is a bit of a nip in the air.

Martha’s Joy, David

Another zig across the walkway brings me the wizard of aroma, Denise Olsen, whose Olsen Naturals soaps, lip balms and essential oils raise my spirits all year long. I find her thoughtful blend of patchouli and sandalwood body spray a warming dose during Minnesota’s long winters. And if you’re going up to the cabin, don’t forget her insect repellent, good for your health, bad for those biting, stinging critters!

Stocking up on Olsen Naturals

Surfacing from the cool dark overhang, I find Salty Tart one of my market mainstays. Perpetually long lines tell the tale of high quality sumptuousness. Carrying on with May’s lustiness theme, I chose their jalapeño cheddar loaf and a flaky asparagus tart. By now my bulging trusty canvas bag smells like a sorcerer's workspace!

Salty Tart grabs one’s heart

It’s always a tough choice about which riverside snack to choose to make market day a culinary interactive affair. Today I go blissfully astray – taking Rashmi and Sarala’s Gorkha Palace’s veggie momos and Brenda and Tim’s Spoonriver crepes! Like I said, it’s been a long Minnesota winter.

Serving up love and momos from Gorkha Palace

Tough choice at Spoonriver: sweet or savory?

One of the greatest advantages of shopping at Mill City Farmers Market is that your balcony for fine alfresco dining is a scenic overview of the Stone Arch Bridge, the falls, and St. Anthony Main just across the Mississippi. I don’t know of many other Farmer’s Markets that can beat this amenity.

Alfresco dining along the Mississippi

Just as you dab your mouth daintily and prepare to return home, you realize you’re never really finished on first Market Day. As a writer, the literary ladies of Millweed Editions gently remind you to feed your mind, too! Great gorging – no calories!

Feed your head, says Milkweed!

And oh heck, since Red Table’s tent is almost blowing away in a sudden gust of wind from the river, it’s only fitting to help by providing a bit more human ballast, and gosh, while you’re helping out why not bring a spicy salami home for that Mother’s Day brunch?

          Holding the big top at Red Table Meat Co!

There’s always time to begin veganism next week, right? And then we can explore so much more!

So remember:

It’s here, it’s here,
That shocking time of year
Those dreary vows that everyone takes,
Everyone breaks.
Everyone makes divine mistakes
The lusty month of May!

When Mill City Farmers Market blooms with so many vendors it will be hard not to break one teeny vow or two! Hope to see you at the market!

Susan Schaefer can be reached at susan@millcitymedia.org.