Farmers market enthusiasts looking to buy some locally grown produce, baked goods, handcrafted items and other goods will have two opportunities this weekend. Both the Arnold and De Soto farmers markets will open for the season on Saturday.
The Arnold Farmers Market will be open from 8 a.m. to noon every Saturday through Nov. 8, and the De Soto Farmers Market will be open from 8 a.m. to noon every Saturday through Oct. 25.
Shoppers’ options will expand next month when six other farmers markets open.
On May 3, the Cedar Hill Farmers and Vendors Market and the Herculaneum Farmers Market will kick off their seasons, with the Cedar Hill market open from 8 a.m. to noon every Saturday through Oct. 25, and the Herculaneum market open from 8 a.m. to noon every Saturday through Sept. 27.
Brookdale Farms, which is just southeast of Eureka, will hold a market from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the first Saturday of every month starting on May 10 and running through Aug. 2.
The Hillsboro Farmers Market will open for the season on May 14 and will be open from 3:30-6 p.m. every Wednesday through Oct. 8.
The Fenton Community and Farmers Market will be open from 4:30-7 p.m. on Thursdays from May 15 through Sept. 25.
Last up is the Wildwood Farmers Market, which will open for the season from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays from May 24 through Oct. 4. The Wildwood market will be closed on Sept. 20 due to the Celebrate Wildwood event.
Here is a look at what area markets have in store for this season:
Arnold
The Arnold Farmers Market is entering its 14th season, but without former market master Teresa Kohut, who is retiring as the Parks and Recreation Department’s recreation superintendent next month.
“We wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for her,” said Dianne Brewer, the new market manager. “She has built a tremendous foundation for us. We owe the success of this market to Teresa.
“We will miss her tremendously. We hope to take what she has built for us and grow this market in the future. She has been a force in this market, and we all know it.”
The market, which is located near the entrance of Arnold City Park at 1 Bradley Beach Road off Jeffco Boulevard near the Meramec River, is expected to have more than 45 vendors each week, said Taylor Looney, Parks and Recreation Department supervisor.
She said more than 1,000 customers typically shop at the market each Saturday.
“It is awesome to have something like that in Arnold; not every city or community has that,” Looney said.
A permanent restroom building is expected to be delivered and installed at the Farmers Market this year, said Dave Crutchley, the Arnold Parks and Recreation Department director.
Arnold will pay CXT Inc. $107,718 for the prefabricated restroom facility, which is similar to the one at the Jim Edwards Archery Park on Telegraph Road in Arnold.
“We are excited,” Brewer said. “When we announced that (there would be a restroom) in our vendor meeting in February, everybody was hooting and hollering.”
The market will hold a Strawberry Festival on May 10; a Wellness Day, which will have a free yoga class, on June 21; a cooking demonstration by Adam Lambay, the executive chef at the Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark and a member of the Gateway Food Pantry Board of Directors, on July 19; a chicken wing contest on Aug. 16; an Apple Festival on Sept. 13; and a Pumpkin Festival on Oct. 18.
When the market’s special events include baking and cooking contests this year, customers will be asked to choose the winners. In previous years, a panel of judges selected contest winners.
“These special events offer something different and draw people in,” Looney said. “When people hear there is a festival day or special event, they want to check it out.”
For more information about the Arnold Farmers Market, call 636-275-6987, email arnoldfarmersmarket@gmail.com, go to the market’s webpage on arnoldmo.org or its Facebook page.
Brookdale Farms
This is the first year Brookdale Farms, 8004 Twin Rivers Road, will hold Saturdays at the Farm Farmers Markets. The market will be set up in a field near Twin River Road close to the farm’s entrance off Hwy. W.
Brookdale Farms has scheduled four markets for this year, but it’s possible more could be added, marketing specialist Natalie Schultz said.
“We are thinking about extending it into the fall, if it is popular,” she said. “We do have a lot of fall events. If it is something that is super popular and packed every time, we would consider extending it this year but definitely extending it next year.”
Schultz said Brookdale Farms will not charge vendors to sell items at the markets, and no admission fee will be charged to shop there.
“It is focused on community building,” she said. “We just want to get everyone in Eureka together.”
Schultz said she expects more than 100 vendors to be at each market.
“I personally love farmers markets,” she said. “There is nothing like getting outdoors and seeing all of the local vendors. There are so many different types of things. We will have people selling homemade candles, homemade soap and 3D printed items.
“We want it to be a great experience for everybody. We want to bring people some happiness.”
For information, go to brookdalefarms.com, the Brookdale Farms Facebook page or call 636-938-1005.
Cedar Hill
The Cedar Hill Farmers and Vendors Market will be held at the Big River VFW Post 5331 at 1 Lynn Lane. The market will be open from 8 a.m. to noon, after previously staying open until 1 p.m.
“As it gets later in the summer after noon, it starts getting hot, and it starts slowing down a lot,” Cedar Hill market master Marilyn Enlow said.
Enlow said she expects between 16 and 20 vendors selling produce, baked goods, meat, soap and handcrafted items at each market. The market averages about 300 customers.
Enlow said a few popular vendors will return, including Crawford’s Mountain Honey and JKL Wood Art. A vendor who sells plants and another who sells sourdough baked goods are expected to be at this year’s markets.
“We are getting a few new vendors,” she said. “As the season progresses, we hope to have more produce. I will be there with my baked stuff every week, and I do jam and jelly.”
A flea market will be set up on the VFW parking lot, Enlow said.
“It will be yard sale stuff,” she said. “We have had people reach out and asked if they could sell this or that. We told them they could come and sell it, but they can’t sell it under the pavilion. I can’t mix the flea market stuff with the baked goods and stuff like that.”
Enlow said the market will not be held on July 5, when the VFW will hold its annual fireworks display, and it will not be held on Sept. 20, when a barbecue will be held to benefit BackStoppers.
For information, go to the Cedar Hill Farmers and Vendors Market Facebook page.
De Soto
“Happy Health Garden” is the theme for this year’s De Soto Farmers Market, 520 N. Main St. market manager Morgan Sitkowski said.
Along with between 20 and 25 vendors selling items each week, local businesses and organizations that provide various health services are expected to be at the market, which the Get Healthy De Soto group runs.
“We are looking forward to incorporating different aspects of health throughout the year into each of our weeks,” she said.
Sitkowski said various physical and mental health topics will be highlighted at each market, such as women’s health and resources for pregnant women on Mother’s Day weekend, men’s health on Father’s Day weekend, as well as information about community, social, literacy and children’s health.
“Our goal this year is to create some new activities and events throughout the year to highlight the different aspects of health in everyday life,” she said. “We want to encourage the community to live healthier and show them the opportunities and resources they have in the community to live healthier.”
During Saturday’s market, the annual tractor parade will be held starting at 10 a.m. The market will hold its season official grand opening on May 3.
“We are looking forward to our 16th season,” Sitkowski said. “We are looking forward to growing the market and seeing our frequent shoppers. We want to be part of helping the De Soto community be a little healthier and to provide local produce and artisan items to the community.”
Sitkowski said the market is part of the USDA’s Farmers Market Nutrition Program, which provides $50 to seniors and $30 to WIC recipients each year to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables at the market.
The market also offers POP (Power of Produce) Club and Kids Mart programs.
POP is open to children aged 4 through 12 and requires registration. The club provides activities for children during the market, and each child receives $2 to spend on produce at a market.
Kids Marts will be held on the third Saturday of every month, when children between the ages of 5 and 16 may sell items at the market.
The market will hold its annual farm-to-table fundraising dinner at 6 p.m. Sept. 13. Sitkowski said 110 people attended last year’s event, which raised $5,600 to help cover the market’s operation cost.
She said tickets for the dinner are expected to be available in mid-summer.
For information, go to the market’s Facebook page, the Get Healthy De Soto website, gethealthydesoto.org or email market@gethealthydesoto.org.
Fenton
For its third season, the Fenton Community and Farmers Market trimmed 30 minutes from its operating time and will be held from 4:30-7 p.m. every Thursday from May 15 through Sept. 25 at the Meramec Greenway Pavilion in Fenton City Park, 995 Larkin Williams Road. Last year, the market was open until 7:30 p.m.
“We surveyed our vendors, and we felt like (those hours) would work best for them,” said Shelby Nobles, Fenton Parks and Recreation Department administrative assistant. “We just like to listen to the feedback from the vendors.”
Nobles said about 15 vendors are expected to be at each market, and typically between 100 and 200 customers shop each week.
“Every year, we are growing, which is great,” she said. “I know the vendors like that we are on Thursdays because there are a lot of markets out there on Saturdays. It is nice that we are a little bit different.”
Nobles said she expects a good mix of returning and new vendors to be at each market.
“There is always something to look forward to,” she said.
For information, call 636-349-8155, email farmersmarket@fentonmo.org or go to the Parks and Recreation Department page at fentonmo.org or the market’s Facebook page.
Herculaneum
The Herculaneum Farmers Market is expected to have more vendors selling produce, handcrafted items and baked goods this year, market master Rena Klahs said.
She expects 15 to 20 vendors to be at each market, which is held at William C. Haggard City Park, 776 Joachim Ave., and typically has about 200 shoppers.
“I am hoping we grow more this year,” Klahs said. “Last year, we averaged about 12 vendors per week, and this year, we will have a few more. I want to thank the city of Herculaneum for supporting us and providing the space for us.”
Klahs said Sweet Williams Farm and Valley View Gardens are among the popular returning vendors this year.
“(Sweet Willams Farm) sells honey and beef,” she said. “They started selling beef a little bit late last year. They did well enough to go ahead and do it more. They are very excited about that.
“(Valley View Gardens) is our biggest produce producer. Most customers go to that booth first.”
Klahs said a new vendor she believes will be popular is LMS Perennials, which sells plants.
“I have had requests for (a plant vendor) in the past,” she said. “We had one (plant) vendor come for one week last year.”
Klahs said she is proud of the youth vendors who attend the markets, adding that children 17 and younger may rent a vendor space for $5, which is half the regular cost.
She said last year’s market usually had three youth vendors each week.
“We are really proud of our youth vendors, and we always welcome more,” she said. “They just need to be accompanied by an adult and make what they sell.”
Klahs said only Jefferson County residents are allowed to sell at the market.
“We really want to support our community and county,” she said. “There are plenty of vendors in our county who are looking for ways to get their product out there.”
For information call 636-282-8366, email herkymarket@gmail.com or go to the market’s Facebook page.
Hillsboro
Hillsboro High School students are expected to take part in this year’s market at Bridle Ridge Acres, 200 Bridle Ridge Lane, market master Carmelita Davidson said.
“I think we will have some Hillsboro High School students selling produce from their garden,” she said. “I think it will be great. The participation of the community is very important, and with the school there at the farmers market, I think it will be a good team for both of us.”
Davidson said Julie Ott Produce and Tri-Pointe Farm, which sells meat, eggs, poultry and sandwiches, are expected to return to the market this season. She also said vendors will sell herbs, soap, jams, jellies, baked goods and homemade purses.
Davidson said the market typically has about 12 vendors at the start of the season, but the number typically dwindles to about eight by mid-summer.
She said about 75 customers shop each week.
“I’m looking forward to the season,” she said. “We already have two new vendors who have called with interest to have a booth there. We only take local businesses because we want to give small businesses a chance to grow. We only take businesses within a 75-mile radius. It is only items they make, cook or grow.”
For information, call 636-262-0725, 314-650-3830 or the Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce at 636-481-6718 or go to the market’s Facebook page.
Wildwood
The Wildwood Farmers Market, 221 Plaza Drive, is expected to have more than 30 vendors each week, market manger Natalie McAvoy said.
She also said the market is attracting more artisan vendors who sell various homemade items, and she hopes to have more food trucks this year.
“Every year, it gets better,” McAvoy said. “I love our spot. People in Wildwood constantly walk around and see us. It is a good family activity.”
McAvoy said vendors sell a variety of seasonal produce, pastured-raised beef, pork, chicken and eggs, mushrooms, superfood microgreens, granola, coffee, tea, cut flowers, sourdough breads, spices, dog treats, house plants, succulents and flowers.
She said artisan vendors typically sell bird houses, candles, incense, soaps, handcrafted wood products, jewelry and handmade baskets.
“I will have a guy who sharpens knives this year, which is good,” she said.
McAvoy said a few hundred customers shop each week at the market.
“We have so many great farmers and to be able to get their fresh produce, meat and eggs is great,” she said. “At about 8 o’clock, the diehards come, and if you don’t get there by a certain time, a lot of the produce and eggs are gone. You need to get there early.”
For information, go to cityofwildwood.com, the market’s Facebook page or email farmersmarket@cityofwildwood.com.
Farmers markets
Arnold
- Address: 2400 Bradley Beach Road
- Time: 8 a.m. to noon, Saturdays, April 26 through Nov. 8
Brookdale Farms Farmers Market
- Address: 8004 Twin Rivers Road, Eureka
- Time: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. first Saturday of the month, May 10 through Aug. 2
Cedar Hill Farmers and Vendors Market
- Address: 1 Lynn Lane
- Time: 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays, May 3 through Oct. 25 (No market on July 5 or Sept. 20)
De Soto
- Address: 520 N. Main St.
- Time: 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays, April 26 through Oct. 25
Fenton Community and Farmers Market
- Address: 995 Larkin Williams Road
- Time: 4:30-7 p.m. Thursdays, May 15 through Sept. 25
Herculaneum
- Address: 776 Joachim Ave.
- Time: 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays, May 3 through Sept. 27
Hillsboro
- Address: 200 Bridle Ridge Lane
- Time: 3:30-6 p.m. Wednesdays, May 14 through Oct. 8
Wildwood
- Address: 221 Plaza Drive
- Time: 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays, May 24 through Oct. 4 (No market on Sept. 20)