While small towns and large cities both welcome farmers markets to their communities, not every place has the means or ability to run a market. When Misty Schaecher started her own cut-flower business in 2020, she drove 30 minutes to a neighboring community to sell her blooms because she had no local farmers market.
After a few years, she decided something had to change.
“I was driving to the Hastings [Nebraska] market in 2023 and wondering why we didn't have a similar market in Grand Island,” said Misty. “I told my subscription customers at the end of my 2023 meeting that if I didn't hear of anyone organizing a (Grand Island) market by March 1, 2024, that I was going to do it myself, and that is exactly how it started.”
Misty and several others began organizing, and, through their drive and hard work, the Grand Island Area Farmers Market opened on the first Saturday of June in 2024.
“At first, we were worried about having a large enough group of vendors to get it going, but we ended our 2024 season with more than 100 vendors on our list,” she said. “Since last year, we are much more known with the public so our crowds seem to have grown exponentially since last season.”
That growth has helped the market enlist a variety of sponsors, including local newspaper and television, billboards, and weekly support from corporations and businesses. The resulting outreach has brought in many new faces. A live music concert series has also drawn a crowd this year, thanks to help from the sponsors.
Misty, who now serves as the market board president, found additional ways to reach the public, one of them being through assistance from the Center for Rural Affairs. Center staff have offered resources to promote the market, including a small stipend to buy supplies for the market, such as flags and signage.
“The Center has given us the opportunity to be more knowledgeable on many topics that are beneficial both to us and our vendors,” Misty said. “Having this partnership has helped us to promote in various ways with the public. It has also allowed us to get food out to food pantries.”
Angelyn Wang, local foods associate with the Center, has provided guidance to Misty and others involved in the market.
"The Grand Island Area Farmers Market is a welcoming community for farmers, craft vendors, food purveyors, as well as for their customers,” said Angelyn. “It’s very evident how much time and passion the coordinators put into the market. The Center was really happy to work with the market, assisting with training vendors and managers, as well as sharing information and resources.”
This season, 109 local and regional vendors sell produce, meat, flowers, eggs, jewelry, plants, crocheted items, sourdough, baked goods, soaps, honey, popcorn, woodworking items and crafts, candles, artwork, snacks, vanilla products, fresh milled flour, clothing, pet treats, lavender, and more.
“Grand Island is a pretty large community, and I think entrepreneurs were really looking for a place to try out their ideas and sell their products,” Misty said. “I think the fact that we really support and care about our vendors has encouraged them to apply and take part in the market. We do what we can to show our vendors where the value to them lies in being a part of the market.”
All vendors are welcome, and parents are encouraged to bring their kids to the family-friendly event. Along with the live music, the market occasionally offers bounce houses, face painting, and more, as well as vendor programming for youth entrepreneurs.
“Grand Island is a very diverse community and we feel it is important for our market to reflect that,” Misty said. “People feel a greater sense of belonging when they come to market and are able to see people that look like them as well as people who are different. The market gives community members a place to go each and every Saturday morning while also giving them access to local food and products.”
And she has big plans for upcoming seasons.
“We have a lot of plans to continue to make food purchases after the market to give to food pantries,” she said. “We also have ideas to involve more local artists. We are excited to see how the market progresses in the coming years.”
The Grand Island Area Farmers Market operates in the parking lot of Bosselman Enterprises, at 1607 S. Locust St., in Grand Island, and is open Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The market starts in late May and runs through the first week of October, weather permitting.
Funding for this blog was made possible by a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the USDA.
To learn more about our work with farmers markets, visit cfra.org/farmersmarkets.
