Summer Vegetables, Fresh Flowers, the Cannon River Watershed Partnership and Music by Barb Piper at Saturday’s Riverwalk Market Fair

Fresh summer vegetables and flowers, music by favorite Minnesota singer/songwriter Barb Piper, and rain barrel painting for kids hosted by the Cannon Valley Watershed Partnership are just part of the fun this Saturday, August 24 at Northfield’s Riverwalk Market Fair. 

Seasonal Produce From Local Farmers, Artisan Foods, Art and Fine Craft

Summer produce season is in full swing.  Expect to find fresh flowers, kale, zucchini, summer squash, carrots, onions, broccoli, potatoes, cucumbers, eggplant, green beans, hot peppers, bell peppers, cabbage, and eggs grown by local farmers.  Melons will be making their first appearance this week.  News on the tomato watch: both cherry tomatoes and slicing tomatoes are in season to get them while you can.  Artisan foods include a variety of fresh-baked breads, pastries, tarts and quiches from Ruthie’s Kitchen, Martha’s Eats and Treats, Crack of Dawn Artisan Breads, Rebecca’s Greek Kouzina, and Archibald Mills.  Maria’s Taco Hut serves freshly made and wholesome Mexican food.

Watercolors, photographs, handcrafted leather goods, ceramics, glass art, hand crafted accessories, and jewelry are among the art and fine crafts for sale.  (For a complete list of the vendors scheduled for this Saturday visit www.RiverwalkMarketFair.org.)

Featured Vendors: The Riverwalk Market Fair Youth Booth

Arcadia School, Leander Fried’s vegetable produce, and S.N.O.W proprietors Sam Wilmot and Nathan Olien have been regulars at Riverwalk Market Fair’s youth booth throughout the 2013 season.  Sam, Nathan, and Leander are returning Riverwalk veterans.

            Leander learned to garden from his grandmother and tends his own plot to bring weekly summer vegetables and flowers to Riverwalk Market Fair. Andrew Ehrmann and Betsy Allister of Spring Wind Farm (and regular Riverwalk vendors) are mentors, as is Leander’s grandmother.  Leander is meticulous in documenting his garden.  He saves seeds and keeps a catalogue on where each came from.  Leander’s garden is currently producing dill, tomatoes, cucumbers, fennel, broccoli, and heirloom string beans.

            Sam Wilmot and Nathan Olien, both age 12, have been friends since they were in daycare and say that they always wanted to have a business.  Something must have clicked, because they now combine design expertise and drive as S.N.O.W to create colorful geometric origami ornaments.  Why did they name their business S.N.O.W?  Sam Nathan Olien Wilmot, of course.  2013 is their second year at Riverwalk Market Fair.

            Lisa Malecha serves Arcadia School as social worker and special education teacher.  She also leads the Arcadia May Term seminar in art and craft.  Arcadia students donated some of their creations, which Lisa sells at Riverwalk.  Proceeds fund the Arcadia art and May-term programs.  Her next (and last) Saturday at Riverwalk will be August 31.

Music by Barb Piper and Youth Activity by the Cannon River Watershed Partnership

            Minnesota favorite singer/songwriter Barb Piper will perform at Riverwalk Market Fair on Saturday.  A regular at the Tavern of Northfield and the Paradise Center for the Arts in Faribault, Barb also performs with jazz guitarist Lance Larson.  Expect to hear some of Barb’s own music as well as pleasing tunes from Hoagy Carmichael, The Beatles, Queen, Bonnie Raitt, and the Indigo Girls.  http://barbarapipermusic.com

            The Cannon River Watershed Partnership comes to Riverwalk on Saturday.  Kids can help paint a rain barrel and learn more about the watershed-wide cleanup scheduled for September 21, when watershed volunteers will add to the 82,000 pounds of trash already cleaned out of the Cannon River.  http://crwp.net

About Riverwalk Market Fair

Riverwalk Market Fair is a Saturday open-air market located on Bridge Square in historic downtown Northfield.  This one-of-a-kind European-style market is open Saturdays from June through October. Each Saturday features a different combination of organic and sustainably grown produce from local farmers, artisan foods, seasonal flowers and a juried selection of the region’s top art and fine crafts including ceramics, art works, prints, photography, glasswork, textiles, wearable art, garden sculpture and hand-crafted jewelry.  Hours are 9 am to 1 pm rain or shine.  For more information, visit Riverwalk Market Fair at www.RiverwalkMarketFair.org.