To everything there is a season.
And a sure sign of this time of transition came early Saturday afternoon as vendors departed and the barricades came down along College Avenue.
Residents bundled up to enjoy the final outdoor Appleton Farm Market of 2019.
Jeff Faust of Fond du Lac’s Park Ridge Organics said the season’s end brings a mix of relief and dismay. It’ll be eight months before they next set up shop along the curb.
Appleton has something special in its market. It’s a staple of the community’s warm weather seasons.
“It’s pretty awesome that there are so many people that come week after week; that they come here to do their grocery shopping,” he said.
The goods matched the season. Gourds, squash, pumpkins and apples were in abundance. A vendor served up bowls of chili.
The last few markets were a city block smaller than the typical footprint.
Folks were intent on savoring one more Saturday morning downtown.
Musicians entertained even while breaking more frequently to warm their stiffening fingers.
Market goers made sure to grab one last taste of their favorites. The egg roll stand maintained a lengthy line.
It was a special market for the younger set. They came in costume for trick-or-treating among the vendors.
The market moves to a warmer climate next Saturday.
The Downtown Appleton Farm Market will continue inside City City Center from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. through Jan. 25. Though smaller, it remains an opportunity to spend time among the community, load up on local produce, enjoy some treats and peruse arts and crafts.
Shoppers can expect familiar favorites as well as some new vendors who are planning to come on board, Farm Market Director Djuanna Hugdahl said.
For the farmers, the end of the season means a shift in efforts.
Faust said they have a few more weeks of harvest and then there’s field cleanup. Their CSAs continue through January. They’ll begin crop planning. Once March rolls in, they start up their greenhouse growing.
Farm work doesn’t offer much for down time.
“We’ll get February off,” he said.
