The Keweenaw Farmers Market Association will bring the feeling of summer to a blue January at the end of the week. Starting on Saturday the Keweenaw Farmers Market Association will open the Hancock Cold Tori. The market is a continuation of the winter market in Chassell, which will move into the Hancock Community Hub.
A big reason why we want to set up here in Hancock is that Houghton and Hancock have the largest density of potential customers. And then during the winter seasons, people are a little bit less willing to drive a distance to farmers’ markets. So we wanted to find a location that was centrally located to everyone but was still accessible. – Zack Osborn, Winter Market Manager, Keweenaw Farmer’s Market Association
Market Manager Zack Osborn says the HCH’s gymnasium will fill up with various local vendors. Some tables will include root vegetables from local farmers and mushrooms.
We have an extensive selection of different vendors here. We’ll be having fresh local pork and meat, and local produce vendors who still have things like carrots, onions, and potatoes that they’ve been storing in their root cellars. We’ll also have local mushrooms available for everyone. And because of some of the old equipment as part of Finlandia, we’re hoping to get some local massage therapists to come in here and offer their services. And an open invitation to anyone who wants to bring art. Artists and children under the age of 18, may be vendors here for free. – Zack Osborn, Winter Market Manager, Keweenaw Farmer’s Market Association
The Hancock Cold Tori with the Keweenaw Farmers Market Association is a collaborative effort with the Chassell Market Association. The nonprofit hopes to finalize non-profit paperwork with the state in the next couple of months. After receiving approval Osborn says the market hopes to begin accepting various food assistance programs from shoppers.
Well, the Keweenaw Market Association is hoping to have all its paperwork in over the next coming months. And so hopefully by the same time next year for the cold season, we’ll be accepting all the same tokens, EBT, and food stamp assistant programs that you’ll see with other farmers markets during the summer. – Zack Osborn, Winter Market Manager, Keweenaw Farmer’s Market Association
The Hancock Cld Tori will open at 10 am inside the gymnasium of the Hancock Community Hub. The market will continue to operate on Saturday mornings from 10 am to noon through May. Those interested in learning more about the Hancock cold Tori with the Keweenaw Farmers Market Association or want to organize a table for the market on Saturday can find more information here.
People or groups interested in becoming a vendor at the market can sign up here.
