Sept. 3, 2014

By Abrielle Backhaus

Fresh fruits and vegetables, homemade cookies and breads, locally produced soap and honeyfind a home at the Whitewater Farmer’s Market .

Former students and UW-W employees make-up about 12 vendors selling to approximately 150 customers each Saturday in the Winchester True Value Ace Hardware parking lot, located at 1415 W. Main St.

Celebrating the fourth annual Appreciation Day 8 a.m. to noon on Sept. 6, the market will have free coffee, cake and raffles for all who attend.

Each vendor donated to the raffle with produce, gift certificates and other miscellaneous items free to win for anyone who attends.

Alan Marshall, Whitewater Farmer’s Market Coordinator of 24, years said he has seen many successful market seasons.

“It’s all home-grown vegetables, so it’s all locally produced,” Marshall said. “It’s not like the stuff you get in the stores and not to criticize them because that’s they way they do their business, but a lot of that stuff is picked way ahead of time and most of this stuff is just picked a day ahead so it’s very fresh.”

Marshall explained there are different growing seasons which also means the market always has a variety of products.

“Right now, there’s a lot of the produce, tomatoes, green beans, cabbage and peppers,” Marshall said. “In the fall, we will have pumpkins and squash.”

The market only allows people to sell if they have created, produced or grown the products themselves.

UW-Whitewater alumnus John Elsen from Burlington brings his homegrown variety of apples and cider to be sold each Saturday.

“We established in 1985, we have approximately 300 apple trees,” Elsen said. “We sell at various local farmers markets, actually five markets, and one of them is here at the Whitewater market.”

A vendor for five years, Elsen said he has found variety is key to business in the Whitewater community.

Elsen works with other apple growers in the area and prides himself on his award-winning apple cider.

“Made from about six varieties of apples that have been mixed with a process where the cider is made to be a safe cider,” Elsen said.

Jeanie Cloute, Farmer’s Market Bakery vendor and UW-Whitewater food service employee said she prepares for two days before every Saturday sale.

“I pretty much run the same stuff  [each week] ‘cause I know what sells, which are probably banana bread, peanut butter cookies are a No. 1 seller and brownies always go,” Cloute said.

Cloute has participated in the Whitewater Farmer’s Market for 20 years.

In previous years, the market was located in the Wal-Mart parking lot until the store became a supermarket and lost some parking space.  Due to the expansion, the Market then moved to the Whitewater Winchester True Value parking lot.

“It’s a great atmosphere, very friendly vendors and next weekend we are having customer appreciation day,” Cloute said.

The Whitewater Farmer’s Market runs 8 a.m. to noon every Saturday from April to Nov. 1.