Marshfield, WI

Bushels of fresh, green produce; flats of juicy berries; glistening jars of honey, jams, jellies and maple syrup; bedding plants and cut flowers; potatoes, apples, rhubarb, onions and gourds – all of these homegrown delights can be found at two farmers’ markets flourishing in Marshfield.

“You’ll also see some arts and crafts. Another big thing is homemade bread,” says Arlene Norberg, administrative assistant at Main Street Marshfield, the downtown revitalization organization that sponsors the farmers’ market at Pick N Save’s parking lot on South Central Avenue. In three years, it has grown to include some 15 vendors.

Open Tuesday mornings from 9 a.m., mid-June through September, the market draws about 200 customers a week, Norberg says. “We’ve had very good turnout – a steady flow of people. The community’s been very supportive.”

Local farmers also bring their wares to the 10-year-old market held in the parking lot of Festival Foods on North Central Avenue every Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., mid-July through October.

“We have all – and only – local growers at our farmers’ market,” says Andy Cveykus, store director. “Our vendors – anywhere from 20 to 30 every week – grow the food they sell. We don’t allow vendors to bring in food they’ve bought somewhere else.” Talk about homegrown.

And if you’re hankering for that homemade whole-grain bread, you can get it from the Burich Bunch Bakery booths at both farmers’ markets. Gary Burich and his family built the bakery on their farm just in time for the 2008 season.

“We have six children, [ages three through 13], and they all help on some level,” Burich says, from grinding the grain into flour to measuring grains into bins.

“The farmers’ market offers a nice variety of things,” Burich adds, “plus it’s a chance to gather and develop relationships, not only as customers and vendors, but as neighbors sharing our lives.”