Seeking market vendors and community sponsors!
What do Sun Street Breads, Bogarts Donuts, Rise Bagels and The Beez Kneez have in common? They all got their start at a Neighborhood Roots market!
Neighborhood Roots is the nonprofit that operates Kingfield, Fulton and Nokomis farmers markets in South Minneapolis, as well as a series of Winter Markets at Bachman’s on Lyndale. With a few staff members, a dozen board members and a great network of volunteers, we support more than 100 local businesses grow every year.
Our mission is to bring neighbors together to buy, eat and learn about local food. We support local farmers and small businesses, promote vibrant community and affect important changes in food and agriculture policy.
Farmers markets are small business incubators. They provide a unique opportunity to access new markets and pilot new products.
New farmers who vend at markets have more flexibility to control their operation, as opposed to wholesale contracts with retailers. Social enterprises like Big River Farm have an opportunity to do face-to-face outreach and education about their mission of supporting small farmers. As our vendors grow and evolve, they can build a solid customer base and develop their niche in the local economy.
If you are a starting or growing a business in Minnesota and want to gain access to the Twin Cities marketplace, apply to become a vendor with Neighborhood Roots!
Our markets are first and foremost producer markets. Vendors must grow, produce or substantially transform the products they are selling. Typically, our markets are comprised of a mix of agricultural vendors, value-added packaged food vendors, baked goods vendors and ready-to-eat food and craft vendors. When selecting vendors for our markets, we select first for farmers. We prioritize connecting consumers to locally grown and produced agricultural products — vegetables, fruits, meats, dairy, grains and legumes — that are sold at the market by vendors who cultivate and raise their own products.
Each market serves the unique needs of their respective communities. Decisions regarding vendor selection and market mix are made by a committee comprised of board members, community members, market volunteers and staff.
To apply, visit our website for more information. Before you start your application, take time to review our vendor policies first so we’re all on the same page. We are accepting applications until Feb. 17, so apply today!
Starting and growing a new business can be stressful and uncertain. You can support these brave entrepreneurs by becoming a market sponsor.
The generous support of neighborhood businesses make our markets happen. Each market has unique relationships with business owners who want to build trust and name recognition in the neighborhood.
For example, Nicollet ACE Hardware has been a longtime champion of Kingfield Farmers Market, providing both financial support and special in-kind donations, like a grill for our raffle fundraiser last summer. We direct our market gardeners and cottage food producers to buy their supplies at ACE after stocking up on plant starts in the spring or soon-to-be-pickled produce in height of summer.
Nokomis Farmers Market has flourished thanks to 3 Bears Landscaping. Our partnership has led market goers to choose 3 Bears for their next big landscaping project.
At Fulton Farmers Market, we are lucky to have Kamie Augustine in our corner. Augustine Team of Keller Williams has been with us for years and has built strong relationships with current and future homeowners in Fulton neighborhood.
One of the major sponsors of Neighborhood Roots is HERO Plumbing, Heating and Cooling. They even provided us with an amazing bounce house for folks to enjoy at each of our markets last summer!
Becoming a market sponsor supports your own business, strengthens the local economy and invests in the farmers markets as valuable community assets. To learn more, contact Neighborhood Roots Executive Director Emily Lund at emily@neighborhoodrootsmn.org.
Grow Community in 2019
Our food system is incredibly dynamic and complex. Each meal you make is affected by political, environmental, social, economic and cultural trends. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the global challenges we face include climate change, immigration policy, international trade laws, population growth, natural resource management, extreme poverty, conflict and disease. These big issues interact and create systems that often exacerbate humanitarian crises, health pandemics and economic exploitation. These systems tend to strip the natural environment while leaving billions of people suffering from chronic nutritional illnesses, including malnutrition, obesity and diabetes. It will take a cultural revolution to resist agricultural systems that fail to nourish the land and its people.
The seeds of resistance are planted at home. As artist and activist Ricardo Levins Morales writes, “The seeds of resistance are unlike any other seed mix: best when planted together, they will grow under any conditions at any time of year. Although yields may vary from season to season, tended carefully the harvest is sure to include many complementary varieties, from climate justice and racial equity to trans and queer liberation, dignity for migrants, improved labor conditions and much, much more. Plant some in your community garden!” In 2019, let’s learn how to tend our community garden together.
It’s important to remember gardening isn’t an action; it’s an ongoing practice of creating environments that foster growth. Food justice is not an action or position, it’s a practice. How can we practice food justice in a way that nourishes the land and people we care about? There are many ways to practice, and getting involved at your neighborhood farmers market is one of them. Your neighborhood farmers market offers a unique opportunity to practice food justice. Building relationships with your farmers and neighbors is key to building a strong local food system. Every market day, you can learn from each other about everything from seasonal recipes to indigenous land rights to horticultural science to herbal medicine to the consequences of the Farm Bill.
You don’t have to wait until summer to get started. As you may know, Neighborhood Roots is a nonprofit that runs farmers markets year round in South Minneapolis. Our mission is to bring neighbors together to buy, eat and learn about food. We support local farmers and small businesses, promote vibrant community and effect important changes in food and agricultural policy. Mark your calendars for our upcoming Winter Markets on Saturday January 26th, Saturday February 23rd and March 23rd. Our indoor markets take place at Bachman’s on Lyndale from 9am to 1:30pm. Stock up on root vegetables, gourds, jam, pickles, maple syrup, meat, eggs, cheese and more while supporting three dozen local businesses. Grow those relationships by making the farmers market a part of your weekly routine this year. We operate Kingfield Farmers Market (Sundays) and Fulton Farmers Market (Saturdays) from mid-May through October, as well as Nokomis Farmers Market (Wednesdays) from mid-June through September.
Deepen your practice by volunteering at the market. It takes an amazing team of dedicated volunteers to transform parking lots into vibrant community spaces. We need volunteers to help with operations, programming and community outreach. Your time and energy helps support more than a hundred local farmers and makers, as well as the thousands of folks who love their neighborhood market.
One of our amazing volunteers wrote this about the markets: “Every time you make a local purchase, it’s like tying a tiny thread to your finger that connects you to someone else in the area. That thread is a small part of the web that you create every day, all of the connections you make. Every smile, every donut, every jar of jam — that is what creates community.” Join our community by becoming a volunteer, donor, shopper or vendor this year. See you at the market!
We're hiring!
Five years ago, Rebecca Noble joined Neighborhood Roots as the market manager of Kingfield, Fulton and Nokomis farmers markets. Since then, she has coordinated hundreds of market days, managed dozens of volunteers and supported more than a hundred local businesses. Her knowledge and dedication helped transform empty parking lots into vibrant community spaces across South Minneapolis. After five seasons with the markets, she is moving on to new adventures. All of us at Neighborhood Roots want to thank her for everything she has done to make the markets happen.
News like this is bittersweet. We will all miss working with Rebecca, but we are excited to see what the future holds for her and for Neighborhood Roots. Now we have some pretty big shoes to fill! We are currently accepting applications for our next market manager.
If you enjoy working with people, spending time outside and supporting our local food system, please send a cover letter and resume to Executive Director Emily Lund at emily@neighborhoodrootsmn.org. Read the job description below for more details.
Farmers Market Manager
$16/hr, year-round, hours vary seasonally
Neighborhood Roots is a 501c4 nonprofit that operates Kingfield, Fulton and Nokomis Farmers Markets in South Minneapolis. Our mission is to bring neighbors together to buy, eat and learn about local food. We support local farmers and small businesses, promote vibrant community and effect important changes in food and agriculture policy.
Our Market Manager is primarily responsible for vendor and volunteer communications, as well as general market operations. The Manager will work closely with our Executive Director to support our vendors and build strong relationships with neighbors and community partners.
The Market Manager must be available Saturdays & Sundays (6:45am – 2:30pm) from mid-May through October, as well as Wednesdays (2:15pm – 9pm) from June through September. The Manager can schedule one weekend off per month in coordination with staff and volunteers. Administrative work can be done remotely or at our office in the Center for Performing Arts building located at 38th Street and Pleasant Avenue. Strong candidates will have a passion for local food, excellent communications skills and the ability to work well with teams, as well as independently.
View Neighborhood Roots Market Manager listing as PDF
Essential Functions:
Vendor support:
– Oversees vendor application process
– Sets vendor schedules
– Sends vendor invoices and reminders
– Acts as primary vendor contact
– Collects and organizes vendor licensing and paperwork
Volunteer management:
– Organizes volunteers and assigns committee tasks
– Leads Fulton, Nokomis, and Kingfield operations committee meetings
– Supervises volunteers in set up, tear down, and market activities
– Acts as primary volunteer contact
– Plans end-of-year volunteer appreciation event
– Acts as liaison between volunteers and Board of Directors
– Attends monthly board meetings and annual strategic planning meeting
– Recruits volunteers through social media, happy hours, and volunteer resource websites
Market Day operations:
– Guides vendor load in process, directs vendors to stalls and connects vendors with electricity
– Collects vendor dues
– Creates stall maps
– Provides on-site support to vendors, patrons, musicians, artists, master gardeners, volunteers and other community providers as needed
– Supervises events with volunteers or sponsors
– Ensures market area is set up by 8:30 and clean at the end of a market day
– Supervises assistant manager
– Creates day-of social media posts
– Troubleshoots challenges with equipment, customers, vendors, etc.
Administrative support:
– Responds to general market inquiries via phone and email
– Acts as primary contact for vendors, volunteers, and customers
– Adjusts market schedules to accommodate cancellations
– Writes market newsletters
– Inventories merchandise and places orders as needed
– Schedules musicians
– Assists with preparations and day-of implementation for meetings & special events
– Updates website
Give thanks! The Holiday Market is Sunday, Nov. 11th!
Sunday, Nov. 11th is the Neighborhood Roots Holiday Market! Head to the greenhouse of Bachman's Garden Center (6010 Lyndale Ave. S) from 9:00 am to 1:30 pm and find all the local foods and handmade gifts you need for amazing holiday celebrations this season.
Many of the awesome local farmers from the Fulton, Kingfield, and Nokomis Farmers Markets will be in attendance. These hard-working folks will be bringing pasture raised meats, farmstead cheeses, apples, cold-hearty produce, maple syrup, and much more. Talented food makers will have fermented veggies, preserves, pickles, sauces, and baked goods. A number of craftsmen will be bringing beautiful handmade items so you can get all of your gift shopping done early.
The Holiday Market is great for shopping as well as a fun festivity! Enjoy beer, mimosas, or wine available for sale by the glass along with great live music all morning long, including tunes from one-man-band Blood Brother and Guzheng music from Jarrelle Barton. Be sure to stop by the Bachman's photo stage to snap some memories and check in at the raffle table to purchase a ticket for the chance to win an amazing market gift basket! All proceeds from beer and wine sales and raffle ticket sales go to support the Neighborhood Roots Farmers Markets and help ensure that they keep going strong for years to come. Huge thanks to Bachman’s Garden Center, Lakes and Legends Brewery, Lake Wine and Spirits, and our awesome vendors for their generous contributions. The markets would not be possible without the support of our sponsors. Special thanks to HERO Heating & Cooling, Augustine Team, and Nicollet ACE Hardware.
Join us at every winter market this season and be sure to invite your friends and family! Mark your calendar for the 2019 Winter Markets on Jan. 26th, Feb. 23rd, and March 23rd.
November Holiday Farmers Market Vendors:
Barn Swallow Garden: Knitted items
Big River Farms: Produce
Bodylish: Soap and body care
Brand Farms: Apples, eggs, preserves
Brush Prarie Farm: Pickled fruit and vegetables, produce
Cafe Palmira: Coffee and coffee beans
Calvit’s Shrubs: Shrub drink mixers
Chef Shack Ranch: Nachos and brats
Clover Bee Farm: Produce
Cosmic Wheel Creamery: Farmstead cheese
Crankosaurus Press: Screen printed tea towels
Dancing the Land Farm: Produce, wool fiber
Davidson’s Farm: Produce, honey, preserves
Dawn2Dusk Farm: Produce
Double Dog Kombucha: Kombucha
Go Go Glam Household Goods: Aprons, table cloths, bags
Groveland Confections: Chocolates
Havlicek’s Orchard: Apples
Hazelwood Creek: Pickles, sauces
Heath Glen Farm and Kitchen: Condiments, shrubs, preserves
Holistic Health Farms: Microgreens, vinegars
Idlewilde: Candles
Jen’s Jars: Soup, condiments
Johnson Family Pastures: Pork, beef, chicken, produce
Kiss My Cabbage: Fermented vegetables
Love Tree Farmstead Cheese: Farmstead cheeses
Martha’s Joy: Pickled vegetables
Mary Dirty Face Farm: Apples, garlic, preserves
Minnesota Knife Sharpening: Knife sharpening and refurbished knives
Northwood Mushrooms: Mushroom butter, dried mushrooms
Patti’s Granola: Roasted nuts, granola
Peter’s Pumpkins and Carmen’s Corn: Produce, preserves
Pheng and Blia Yang: Produce
Red Clover Apothecary Farm: Herbs and tinctures
Sift: Gluten Free: Gluten free baked goods
Singing Hills Goat Dairy: Goat milk cheeses
SpringTooth Harvest Farm: Tomato sauces and soups
Sunshine Harvest Farm: Meats and eggs
Uproot Farm: Produce
Walsh Ridge Farm: Maple syrup, honey, jam
Well Rooted Teas: Herbal teas
Wha’ Jamaican: Jamaican food
Wicked Tarts: Hand pies and full pies
Wild Run Salmon: Alaskan salmon and cod
Wise Acre Farm: Produce, meats
2018-2019 Winter Markets!
Mark your calendar for the Winter Farmers Markets on Sunday, November 11th, and the Saturdays of January 26th, February 23rd, and March 23rd from 9:00 am to 1:30 pm in the greenhouse of Bachman’s Garden Center (6010 Lyndale Ave. S).
Fulton Bake-Off: Saturday Oct 20th!
The Fulton Farmers Market Bake-Off is this Saturday October 20th!
Pick your favorite fall recipe, make enough for 60 sample size servings (we can cut them) and bring your tasty creation to the Fulton Farmers Market at 9:30 am on Saturday October 20th.If you cannot make it to the market on Saturday, you can drop them off earlier in the week at our director's house in Lyndale neighborhood. Email her at emily@neighborhoodrootsmn.org
To enter, please fill out the form below. Please enter prior to the market if possible, however day-of entries will also be accepted.
We strongly encourage you to use local autumn produce in your baked creations! Please include the name of the farmer(s) in the list of ingredients on your entry form.
Not only will you show off your culinary skills, but you will also be supporting the market! Neighbors will purchase a sampler plate of the entries starting at 10 am and vote for their favorite. All proceeds from the bake-off support Fulton Farmers Market. The winner will receive a special market prize pack, and well as fifteen minutes of fame!
Any questions? Email info@neighborhoodrootsmn.org
Kingfield Bake Off: Sunday October 14th!
The Kingfield Farmers Market Bake-Off is this Sunday, October 14th!
Pick your favorite fall recipe, make enough for 60 sample size servings (we can cut them) and bring your tasty creation to the Kingfield Farmers Market at 9:30 am on Sunday, Oct. 14th.
To enter, please fill out the form below. Please enter prior to the market if possible, however day-of entries will also be accepted.
We strongly encourage you to use local autumn produce in your baked creations! Please include the name of the farmer(s) in the list of ingredients on your entry form.
Not only will you show off your culinary skills, but you will also be supporting the market! Neighbors will purchase a sampler plate of the entries starting at 10 am and vote for their favorite. All proceeds from the bake-off support Kingfield Farmers Market. The winner will receive a special market prize pack, and well as fifteen minutes of fame!
Any questions? Email info@neighborhoodrootsmn.org
Good luck and happy baking!
Dine out to support the Farmers Markets this fall!
The Fulton, Kingfield, and Nokomis Farmers markets depend on contributions from local businesses and individuals to operate. Don't miss two great opportunities to support the farmers markets this fall!
Dine out at the Edina Grill (5028 France Ave S.) on Thursday, Sept. 27th from 5 pm - 9 pm. The Edina Grill is generously donating 15% of their sales to the Fulton Farmers Market.
SotaRol (5005 Ewing Ave. S) is hosting a dine out on October 15th! Stop by from 11 am to 9:30 pm for lunch, dinner or a snack. SotaRol will be donating 15% of their sales from the entire day to the markets.
Big thanks to SotaRol and the Edina Grill for their support! Spread the word to friends and neighbors and don't miss these chances to enjoy tasty food for a great cause!
Make Your Market Happen!
You love the market. Make the market happen by donating to Neighborhood Roots. Your donation supports our mission to bring neighbors together to buy, eat and learn about local food. We support local farmers and small businesses, promote vibrant community and effect important changes in food and agricultural policy.
Our goal is to raise $10,000 in the month of July. That sounds like a lot of money, but it takes a lot to make the market happen. We support more than 100 small businesses, engage dozens of volunteers and operate three neighborhood farmers markets for a total of 68 market days. Those markets bring together more than 60,000 neighbors every year. Your donation helps create safe community spaces where neighbors get to know each other. Your donation helps connect folks with their farmers. Your donation helps teach kids about agriculture, nutrition and science. Your donation makes your market happen. Thank you.
Bake-off Winner!
Huge thanks to all of the amazing bakers who brought goods to the Fulton Farmers Market last Saturday! Your tasty treats were a great example of how we can use fruits, veggies, and eggs from the market to create delicious confections.
Congratulations to first place winner Lisa Pray! Lisa made beautiful Strawberry Basil Macarons with strawberries from Walsh Ridge Farm, basil from Yer Yang's Produce and Flowers and eggs from Braucher's Sunshine Harvest Farm. Check out the recipe below and try them for yourself!
Strawberry-Basil Macarons
Ingredients (makes ~5 dozen depending on size. I recommend weighing the ingredients to get the most accurate measurements)
Meringue shells:
300g almond flour
300g confectioners sugar
110g egg whites
75g water
300g caster sugar
(another) 110g egg whites
Colored gel (optional, but pink and green recommend for this recipe)
Strawberry-basil filling:
1 cup unsalted butter
3 cups confectioners sugar
pinch of salt
basil (to taste)
strawberries (to taste)
strawberry extract (to taste)
Instructions for the meringue shells:
1) Begin by sifting the almond flour to remove any large pieces of almond. Combine the almond flour and confectioners sugar in a food processor. Once combined, sift the ingredients again (and again, if you don’t mind the effort!). Add the first set of egg whites (110g) to the sifted almond flour and confectioners sugar, but do not stir.
2) Combine the water and caster sugar in a pot and bring to a boil. Once the mixture reaches 115 degrees C begin whisking the second set of egg whites (110g) in a stand mixer. Whip the egg whites on high until soft peaks form. Once the sugar/water mixture reaches 118 degrees C, very slowly pour over the egg whites while they are whisking (it is best to pour the sugar mixture down the side of the bowl to avoid deflating the egg whites). Continue to whisk until the mixture cools down to 50 degrees C and stiff peaks are formed (creating an Italian meringue).
3) Manually combine the Italian meringue with the almond flour/confectioners sugar/egg white mixture using a rubber scraper. At this point, add any desired food gel to color the batter (this step is optional, but for this recipe, it is recommended to color half of the batter light pink and half light green... if possible, use a gel to avoid introducing any additional liquid to the batter). Stir until the mixture reaches the consistency of lava (if too thick, keep mixing... if too thin, it may be over-mixed or the meringue may not have been whisked stiff enough before combining)... the final mixture should slowly flow off of a rubber scraper when held up.
4) Once the mixture is the correct consistency, put in a piping bag and pipe 1.5in circles on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper (you should be able to fit about 24 shells on a standard size baking sheet). Once piped, tap the baking sheet on the table to help release any air bubbles in the shells. Let the shells rest until the tops are no longer sticky (this is a very important step to avoid cracked shells!).
5) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Once shells are no longer sticky to touch (depending on humidity this may be anywhere from 15-30 minutes), place in oven and lower the temperature to 325 degrees F (I recommend doubling your baking sheet to help prevent the bottoms of the macarons from baking too quickly). Bake for 11 minutes, rotating tray half-way through.
6) Once baked, remove from oven and let fully cool before peeling the macarons from the parchment paper.
7) Re-preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and repeat the above steps until all the shells are baked.
Instructions for the strawberry-basil filling:
1) Whip one cup of room-temperature butter in a stand mixer on high speed (whip for about 5 minutes, until light and fluffy with no lumps).
2) Slowly combine in 2 cups of confectioners sugar (about a 1/2 cup at a time). Continue to whip on a high speed until light and fluffy with no lumps - 5 minutes, or so.
3) Place 1 cup of confectioners sugar, basil, and strawberries into a food processor and pulse until combined. Adjust the amount of basil and strawberries used depending on the desired flavor.
4) Slowly add the strawberry-basil sugar mixture into the whipping filling. Add a pinch of salt and strawberry extract (if desired), to taste. Continue to whip until smooth.
Assembling the macarons:
1) Ensure the macarons are fully cooled before assembling.
2) Pipe a small amount of the strawberry-basil filling on to one side of a macaron shell.
3) Dice a few strawberries and place a small piece of fresh strawberry into the center of the filling.
4) To finish, place an equal-size macaron shell on the other side and sandwich together.
It is best to let the macarons rest for ~3 hours at room temperature prior to eating (this helps the filling flavor be absorbed into the macaron shells).