Celebrating our growers

This Sunday, August 2, marks the start of National Farmers Market Week - and while we haven't planned any special activities, we do have something to say. Thank you.

Thank you to the growers who were out in the field before sunrise. To the bakers who started their ovens at two in the morning. To the makers who spend all week at a workbench and all Sunday behind a table. A farmers market isn't a venue - it's the people who show up to fill it. Without our producers, there is no Market in the Valley. So this week, when you hand someone a few dollars for a basket of tomatoes, take an extra second to tell them you're glad they're here.

The weather is cooperating, too. After a run of hot Sundays and a good rain to close out the week, Sunday looks sunny and near 80 with a light breeze - the kind of morning that's worth lingering over.

Straight From Nearby Fields

August is the month our growers work all year for. Beck's, Svihel's, Lor Produce, Yang's Fresh Flowers and Vegetables, Bao Yang, 2JCK Produce, and The Farm of Minnesota will have sun-ripened tomatoes, sweet corn, crisp greens, berries, and armloads of fresh-cut flowers. This is the peak - don't let it pass you by.

Bakers, Roasters & Specialty Makers

The aisles smell like fresh bread all morning. Cafe Verte, BAKE! Gluten Free Goodies, Great Harvest Bread Company, The Nelson Loaf, and Cornerstone Wellness bring the baked goods. Round out your basket with something from Caribbean Heat, Yummytizers, Lake of Fire Foods, Ms. Julia's Seasonings, and Summer Lakes Beverages - and a fresh cup from TNT Coffee Lab.

The Sweet & Savory Pantry

Stock up on local staples that keep: golden jars from Bee Sweet Honey, Schyma's Pickles and Preserves, hearty selections from the Wisconsin Cheese Outlet, and pasture-raised goodness from the Veteran's Farming Initiative.

Handmade & Homegrown

Our makers turn craft into something you'll keep. Browse Formal Ghost, Miz Mollys Closet, Extraordinary Ltd., Your Crafts & Collectibles, Wonder Paper Art, Trinamimi Pottery, Dark Crystal Creations, Tropical Island Seashells, and Hand Heart Beads. For the self-care shelf, Bee Relaxed and Sarahgirl Soap have you covered, and Wild Iron Cooking brings beautifully made goods for the kitchen.

Hungry Now? Ready to Eat

Come with an appetite. Crepe & Cake, JM Bistro, Atacama Catering, Midlife Coffee, and Lziza Mediterranean will keep you happily fed from open to close.

Meet Our Community Partners

Say hello to the neighbors who make this a community and not just a marketplace: PRISM, the University of Minnesota Extension Master Gardeners (bring your late-summer garden questions - they have answers), the League of Women Voters, the City of Golden Valley, and Renewal by Andersen. And stop by to support Noa Goltzman at our youth entrepreneur booth - every great vendor started somewhere.

Start Your Sunday Right

Roll out your mat for a free yoga session with Hand Heart Yoga at 9:30 am, then let the music carry you through the morning. Dean, Mick & Carla are playing the full stretch, 9:00 to 1:00.

See the full lineup of who's here this week on our This Week's Vendors page, and we'll see you Sunday, August 2, from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm at 7800 Golden Valley Road - under the Water Tower. Take your time, and thank a farmer.