Winter Farmers Market Aims To Promote Healthy Living

Visit Winter Farmers Market in Marshfield

With another year underway, clean living with healthy foods are on the minds of many.  The Homesteaders Pantry aims to help maintain those goals by hosting a twice weekly Winter Farmers Market.fm_4

Located at 401 South Central in downtown Marshfield, the market is open on Saturday morning from 8:00 am – 1:00 pm and again on Wednesday’s from 12:00 pm – 6:00 pm.  Burich Bunch Bakery started their business in Granton and founded this particular market.

While maintaining their kitchen in Granton, the Burich’s were one of the original members of Marshfield’s campaign for Pop Up Shops that came to be in 2015.  These shops feature unique stores that are given the chance to see how their businesses can succeed in Marshfield.  Offered at a fraction of the cost of a full blown start up, this idea benefits the city, residents, and the people with business goals in mind.  After a successful 2015 pop up campaign, the Homesteaders Pantry came to be in November of 2016 as a more permanent solution for fresh and local produce.

“We are getting it going with what we’ve got,” said Gary Burich.  “It’s the beginning.  It is our hope to get the doors open so that they never close.”fm_2

Burich says that for local farmers that are able to supply goods year round, there was a need for an indoor market in Marshfield.  With outdoor markets being run from summer through early fall, there has been a void through the winter months. 

“With 11 current vendors representing their businesses, we would like to run this until May,”  said Burich.  “Overall, I’m encouraged by the turnout.  The market expands and contracts, vendors can be added and we are open to change.  With the summer months representing a small window, the winter market helps people make a living.”

Visitors can partake of hot coffee or give the Kombucha Tea a try while browsing through the store.  Kombucha is a fermented drink that has many health benefits that come from probiotics, vitamins, amino acids and live enzymes.  It is a refrigerated beverage that has a long shelf life.  Available flavors are Mango Tumeric, Peach, Lemongrass and Raspberry.

A wide variety of food items are available for purchase.  They include leafy greens, farm fm_3raised trout, pasture-raised beef and chicken, eggs, pure maple syrup, honey, all kinds of homemade bakery plus many additional products.  Each of the items sold has been locally grown so by purchasing, the community is also being supported.

Burich adds that the more vendors available to set up a table, the more it benefits all.  “One person doesn’t make a Farmers Market.” he says.  “Busy-ness attracts people.  Our bakery is a part of an overall market.”

With plenty of ideas on which to expand in the future, right now Burich says what they need is for folks to come down and help keep it going.