The outdoor season ended in October, but you can still buy local food in Bloomington this winter. The Bloomington Farmers Market is coming back indoors for its winter run. Starting Nov. 14, it will be in the lobby of Civic Plaza, 1800 W. Old Shakopee Road.
The city scheduled 4 Saturdays, each from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Nov. 14, Dec. 12, Feb. 13 and March 13. There's no January date, so if you want to stock up before the holidays, plan on November or December.
The city describes the market as "a cozy mix of handmade crafts, seasonal foods and local favorites." Shoppers can expect fiber arts, preserves, winter vegetables, baked goods and more. The city named 3 vendors in its announcement: Tollefson Family Pork, Aspen Ridge Honey Farm and Norte Cafe Roasters. Between them you can pick up a pork roast, a jar of honey and a bag of coffee.
The winter market is the off-season version of the city's summer market, which ran outdoors on Saturdays from June 6 to Oct. 17 in Civic Plaza's East Lot. The market accepts SNAP/EBT cards and Farmers Market Nutrition Program coupons. Its Market Bucks program matches the first $10 a shopper spends each day with EBT, adding $10 in market money. The city says a federal grant pause has hit the produce-focused part of that program, but the state-funded Market Bucks are still available.
Pets aren't allowed in the market area, though service animals are. If you forget your bags, the market runs a reusable bag share. You can find the full schedule and policies on the city's farmers market page. For questions, contact the market coordinator at [email protected] or 952-563-8586.
