Lena’s Fresh Farmers Market Offers Local Foods and More in North Dakota
In partnership with: North Dakota Department of Agriculture
Danielle Mickelson has always been an avid gardener, following in the footsteps of her mother and grandmother. She hadn’t thought much about selling her produce, but several years ago, what started as a way for her sons to pay for a plane ticket soon turned into a newfound passion and career. “About eight years ago, my two youngest sons were trying to make some money to visit their grandparents in Las Vegas,” Mickelson says. “We decided to take some of our vegetables to the farmers market in town, and we made $72 that first time. My daughter thought we were onto something, so over the next few years we went from a tiny card table of products to several large tables, and in 2018, we purchased the lot and adjacent building.”
Mickelson left her teaching job of 22 years, and now, she and her husband run a year-round farmers market, Lena’s Fresh Farmers Market – named after her husband’s great-great aunt.
The whole family also helps with the garden business, Mickelson Tiny Plants, where they grow everything from potatoes, green beans and onions to spinach, beets and raspberries.
“If you can name it, I probably grow it,” Mickelson says.
Lena’s Fresh Farmers Market
Located on the main street in Rolla, Lena’s Fresh Farmers Market is an outdoor-indoor market open every Wednesday and Saturday from July 1 through Halloween. Then, in the winter, pop-up markets are held inside.
Depending on the day, Mickelson says they have between two and four additional vendors besides themselves.
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“We sell fresh fruits and vegetables in the outside space when it’s warm and use the inside space during the winter,” Mickelson says. “In the winter, we have lots of baked and canned goods. We have frozen soups, perogies and stuffed peppers, plus about 24 different canned products. The most popular is pickles. We sell about 2,000 jars of pickles.”
Mickelson understands the importance of fresh, locally grown food and says the market’s goal is to fill in gaps within the small town. For example, there’s no bakery in Rolla, so each market provides fresh sourdough bread and pizza dough.
“We had a terrible blizzard for a few days, and the grocery stores were out of everything,” she says. “People were so thankful to have access to fresh bread, eggs and things like frozen soups. We feel like we’re really providing our community with a service they need in terms of local, nutritious food.”
She adds that any products that aren’t sold at the market are processed into some type of product, so not only is it extremely fresh, but there’s also no waste.
“We’ll grind and freeze things like carrots, pumpkins and squash so we can make soups and pies through the winter,” Mickelson says. “There’s no waste, and we’re extending the ability to be profitable.”
For more information on Lena’s Fresh Farmers Market, visit facebook.com/lenasfreshfarmersmarket.
Finding Fresh
The North Dakota Department of Agriculture also plays a role in promoting local food across the state at farmers markets like Lena’s Fresh Farmers Market, as well as at schools, local events and more.
Helping consumers understand what food is available locally is very important for farmers, small businesses and the community in general. The Local Foods program was created under the NDDA in 2008 to help do just that through various educational and support programs.
Consumers and producers can visit the NDDA Local Foods website to learn more about what’s available seasonally, where to find farmers markets across the state and, if you’re a producer, how to get your foods to market. Learn more at ndda.nd.gov/divisions/business-marketing-information/local-foods.
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