GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Growing conditions have been so bad that some of the biggest farmers market vendors in our area still haven’t been able to show up to any markets this year.
A late start to growing season kept Va Farm from being able to open its stand at the Market on Military for the first three weeks of the season.
“We could put seed in but then it’s not having enough water to grow,” said Sheng Lee of Va Farm. “Everything is slow this year.”
Lee says it’s the worst growing year out of the 10 to 15 she’s been helping with her uncle’s farm. It just so happens to be the year her uncle has also been grieving the loss of his wife and was hoping to retire.
“It’s starting to worry me if I’m going to make money this year.”
A few stands away, Sweet Dirt Acres has only produced about half of what it normally does for asparagus, strawberries and raspberries.
“We water everything, but it’s just not the same thing,” said Keith Mueller of Sweet Dirt Acres. “Usually by now we have broccoli and a lot of the greens, some of the other greens. We don’t have them yet, but they’re coming.”
While vendors wait and hope for better weather conditions, organizers of the market are also preaching patience for customers.
“I think customers are coming looking for produce, and when they don’t see it, they think it’s a bad market, but that’s not the case,” said Leah Weycker, the executive director of the Military Avenue Business Association. “I hope our customers stick it out with the farmers, and it will come around.”
Fortunately for some, other products are helping make up for the losses in produce.
“We have pork, beef, elk, chickens,” said Mueller. “We have eggs. So, we have a variety, and it helps.”
For others, especially those without irrigation, they’re only hope is a wet rest of summer.
“It’s very frustrating,” said Lee. “I don’t know if I’m going to have enough product for next week, so we’re hoping our cucumbers will come in on time.”
The Market on Military runs from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursdays. It started in June and runs through October on the corner of Military and Mason Streets.
