When I look back on the 2025 season of the Lake Andes Farmers Market, I will be grateful for the vendors who became a part of our Farmers Market family. We are not mighty, but we are committed to maintaining a market in Lake Andes. The market offers a time for socializing, learning about new techniques for gardening or food preservation or sharing a recipe for one of the vegetables or fruits we have for sale. It is also fun to see people of all ages visiting the market.

The market had 8 vendors at various times throughout the 2025 summer. This is the most vendors we have ever had! Vendors included Leah Antelope with selections of pickles, jellies and a lemonade stand with her granddaughter. RoseWagnervendedAmerican Blue beef from Parkston. Her jerky was a definite hit with the market crowd. Edna Lehman participated with baked goods which were almost too pretty to eat. Seven Oaks Farms from Dante sold wonderful quick breads, vegetables and fruits. Leatha Dvorak shared her overabundance of cucumbers in various sizes from pickling to slicers. Lenard Poore was the first vegetable vendor to have fresh tomatoes and they went fast. The Lake Andes Community Garden provided items that other vendors did not such as radishes, watermelon, green beans, kale, onions and sweet corn, etc. Any extra items from the garden went to the 2 food banks in Lake Andes.

The Donut Department was present for our opening date and also the celebration for National Farmers Market week in August. The market also welcomed some crafters with various items during out Market week celebration. The Public Library sold books offered a craft making a model car out of zucchini. A special event was jiggle dress dancing by Onyx Gallegos. The Greenwood Pow Wow committee had a fund raiser selling super nachos.

Something that makes the Lake Andes Farmers Market unique is that our customers are able to use SNAP benefits to purchase food items at the market. The market is a program under the umbrella of the Lake Andes Food and Wellness Council. The first market was held in 2018 and we have been going ever since, usually June through September. The market has a fee of just $10.00 for vendors for the entire season. The market has a FB page for advertising our markets, we have signs put up on Main Street and at the entrances to Lake Andes along the highway. The market is held at the picnic shelter in the City Park at the corner of Lake Street and 7th Ave. every Tuesday from 4-6pm.

I am hoping we can grow the amount and variety of vendors at the market in the coming 2026 season. Our intention with the market is to highlight home- grown or home- made items. Items I would like to see are soaps, seasonal craft items, candies, and it would be great for young people to sell items that are of interest to people their own age, such as bracelets or beaded creations or even cookies! The market intends to do some special activities during our kick-off in June, probably the 3rd Tuesday and again special activities for NationalFarmersMarketweek in early August.