What to Buy at the Mill City Indoor Winter Farmers Market

It may seem like the Twin Cities’ dynamic farmers market scene is over — but that’s not the case! The indoor Mill City Farmers Market takes place on the first and third Saturdays of each month, starting with this Saturday, Nov. 7, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The market prioritizes regional farmers and producers whose products at the market are 100% grown and harvested on land they own and/or operate.

Here’s a look at some of the vendors you’ll find at the market, and what we recommend you try (plus some recipes, too!).

Cosmic Wheel Creamery

My favorite cheese vendor at the Mill City Farmers Market is Cosmic Wheel Creamery. The cheeses are made in small batches by hand from 100% grass-fed Jersey cows. (If this means nothing to you, know that Jersey cow milk is richer than milk from other breeds and contains more protein. It also can make for really yellow butter!)

Cosmic Wheel is owned by Josh Bryceson and Rama Hoffpauir and is a micro-dairy that’s part of Turnip Rock Farm in Wisconsin. They typically bring a mix of aged and fresh cheeses to the market. If you’re looking for a place to start, I love their First Snow, a soft-ripened cheese. Here’s a gooey baked Camembert recipe that makes good use of it.

Horner’s Corner

Stephen Horner’s maple tree tapping operation is located about 8 miles north of Boyceville, Wisconsin. Did you know that temperature fluctuation is critical to the flow of sap in maple trees? Horner does; he’s been making maple syrup for over 25 years.

Horner’s Corner sells dark and very dark maple syrup, maple cream, and fruit-infused syrups in flavors like wild plum and grenadine (made with pomegranate). Recently, Horner showed me a bottle of his vanilla maple syrup, which includes a whole vanilla bean. Try these recipes to discover more ways to cook with maple syrup.

Bean Market

If you haven’t incorporated dried beans in your diet yet, now is a great time to start. Beans make for tasty, nutritious winter stews and chilis, easy add-ins for salads, and as mentioned in our savory breakfast newsletter, are a breakfast staple in many parts of the world.

Husband and wife Tongsee Xiong and Xai Lor grew up in farming communities in Laos and began their family farm in Minnesota in 1996. As owners of Bean Market, they sell crops like peppers, cabbage, parsnips, carrots, and sweet potatoes using time-tested traditional farming methods. They never use pesticides or synthetic fertilizers, and their heirloom dried beans are available year-round. Their one-pound bags of dried beans make about 6 cups of cooked beans, depending on the type.

I’ve tried their black-eyed peas and was delighted; here’s an easy and delicious recipe featuring coconut milk and black-eyed peas. (If you don’t have tamarind paste, you can substitute equal parts lime juice and brown sugar.)

Next on my list to try are their red or mixed corn kernels. I can already see myself making a big bowl of popcorn with their kernels to eat while I tune into the next episode of “The Traitors.”

Slow Burn

Did you know that beeswax is a natural byproduct of making honey? Made from 100% locally sourced beeswax and organic cotton wicking, Slow Burn candles are individually hand poured by owner Sara Wait of St. Paul. Slow Burn’s candles don’t include the synthetic chemicals sometimes found in soy and paraffin candles. The beeswax candles emit a subtle, honeyed fragrance and produce a warm glow.

Looking for even more indoor markets?

The Northeast Farmers Market holds one market each month throughout the winter, on the first Saturday of the month from November through April. Their first winter market is Saturday, Nov. 7.

Check out the Winter Market at Bachman’s from Neighborhood Roots, the organization that runs Nokomis, Kingfield, and Southwest farmers markets. Their next market will be held on Nov. 14.

The weekend St. Paul market (both outdoor and indoor) is still going strong — plan your next visit here.