Ellie Bednarz
Vendors line North Bridge street for the last DeWitt Farmers Market of 2021.The leaves are changing, the temperature is cooling down, and the DeWitt Farmers Market has officially come to season’s end with trick-or-treating and booths selling products.
From 4-7 p.m. Oct. 12, 22 vendors set up their shops on North Bridge Street for the last market of the season. Kids in Halloween costumes went booth to booth getting candy from vendors.
What is special about this market is the variety of vendors. One vendor who stood out in the crowd was Hiawatha Pasties from Naubinway, Michigan. The business has been open for 35 years in the Upper Peninsula, but this was its first season selling at the DeWitt market.
Vendor Sarah Reck said the experience was unforgettable. “Tonight, we saw a lot of kids and it has been special. Best part of being here every Tuesday has been the people. The tourism we experience in the U.P. has even helped us sell out here.”
Reck said that every week she and her other sellers drive up to Grayling, their meeting point, and get more products from her brother, who runs the shop in Naubinway.
“The DeWitt Farmers Market has been growing. We tried to do a market in Meridian, but they said no because there were too many pastie tables already. We signed up for this market and as it turned out, were the only pastie business,” Reck said.
Check out Hiawatha Pasties on Facebook, send an email to hiawathapastieslansing@gmail.com, or visit the shop at 11644 US-2, Naubinway, Michigan. DeWitt Farmers Market vendors sell food to go, produce, baked goods and spices, drinks and meats.
Under the produce category was Faivor Fresh Produce selling pumpkins, gourds, make-your-own flower bouquets, and all types of fruits and vegetables. Vendor Rebekah Faivor has been selling her family’s homegrown products at the market for six years.
“I used to be the market manager but decided to switch over and sell the produce. Our flowers usually do the best. Second-best thing we sell is all the vegetables. Everything is homegrown and what is best is even after this market we still sell at our street stand. People can even schedule deliveries during the off season,” Faivor said.
Surprisingly, Faivor said business increased during the pandemic, and now that the booth is open during the week up to 500 people come through their business depending on the week. Faivor Fresh Produce can be liked on Facebook, emailed at faivorproduce@gmail.com or found at 1302 E. Price Rd. St. Johns, Michigan.
Another vendor who goes only to the DeWitt Farmers Market is Fred Long, who runs Fred’s Jerky Products. All five of his jerkies have no added preservatives.
“It’s been so easy to sign up and become a vendor and be here every week. The city sets it up so nicely and managed well. I see about 75 to 100 people come through my stand and try samples each week,” Long said.
When it comes to his jerky, Long relies on meat from Meijer or Gordon Food Service and makes his own mixes. His peppered jerky is his best seller, and he has been selling this for about seven years. People may send an email to fredsjerky@yahoo.com or contacted on Facebook.
The market ran June through October.