Pine City Farmers' Market keeps things fresh

To celebrate National Farmers' Market Week (Aug. 3-9), news director Erik van Rheenen caught up with Pine City Farmer's Market board chair Lisa Krahn.

'It just kept growing'

The Pine City Farmers' Market has been part of Lisa Krahn's life for close to 20 years.

When Krahn was new to the area, she was approached by then-city administrator Lynda Woulfe at a Snake River Fur Post event about an opportunity to get involved with the board.

"They had a grant from the Initiative Foundation to kind of expand the community amenity that is the farmers' market, so I kind of joined the board then," Krahn explained. "It really kind of formalized the market."

The farmers' market started out under the water tower in downtown Pine City in 1989, and remained there until 2006.

"With city support, it just kept growing," Krahn said.

The market relocated to Robinson Park and rebranded as Market in the Park until 2014, before eventually finding its current home at the Pine County fairgrounds.

"It was construction around Robinson Park that caused us to relocate, and we haven't moved since," Krahn said.

Krahn said the organization is grateful for the Agricultural Society allowing the market to operate at the fairgrounds.

The farmers' market also worked with the fair board to keep restrooms open during operating hours this year.

The folks who keep the farmers' market functioning — from the board, to the market managers, to the residents who put out and pick up the signs — are all volunteers.

Like the produce often found for sale by local vendors, the farmer's market has continued to grow.

"It's a smaller market, but we're growing," Krahn said, "I had to redraw the map this year in order to fit everyone on. The Friday market is pretty huge."

A community focus

The 2025 iteration of the market started on June 13, and will run through Oct. 31.

Running from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, rain or shine, Krahn said Pine City's market is "pretty short and sweet."

"That allows our farmers and everybody to pick things fresh in the morning and get there straightaway," she added.

Everything at the Pine City Farmers' Market is grown within 50 miles of Pine City.

"I think the real deal is you know you're getting stuff that's super fresh," Krahn said. "Probably picked that morning. Eggs that were probably laid the night before. That type of thing. It supports our local farmers and producers."

Krahn added that the social aspect of the market benefits the Pine City area community — visitors get to talk to the people who grow their food.

"It's a real social place," she said. "People come to the farmer's market to find out what's going on in their neighborhood, to catch up with other people."

The market currently has about 40 vendors, and Krahn said the market is bigger on Fridays than Saturdays.

"Sometimes we even have buskers show up who play music," Krahn said. "It's a real community event. And being right along Highway 61 is a real plus, because people exploring the town happen across us or see our signs."

Looking ahead

Krahn said it might be a little too early for marketgoers in search of corn, but lots of other produce is available.

"More and more vegetable vendors should have a wide selection of locally-grown produce," she explained.

In its early days, the Pine City Farmers' Market was more vendor-driven, but Krahn said the market maintains a producer-driven ethos.

"If there's woodworking for sale, it's that person who made it. There's no resellers," she said. "We have lots of cottage foods people as well, including things like bakeries and pickles. Those folks need a license from the Department of Agriculture, but here in Minnesota, we have a really good way for people to get certified, so you know who your food is coming from."

Krahn added that the market tends to slow down after school is back in session, but "that's when all of the vegetables really start rolling in."

"We have such a relatively short growing season, and some of those things take a lot of time to grow," she said. "So check us out.”

Photo from the Pine City Farmers' Market Facebook page