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Rose Creek Booster Club growing once again, starts first farmers market

 

Rose Creek is a small town. The city limits encompass less than half of a square mile, and it is the only city within Mower County’s Windom Township. 

It is named for the small stream that runs next to the city park and is home to about 400 people, many of whom have roots in the city that go back generations. 

In the early 1900s there was a creamery, meat market, grocery store, hardware store, bank, restaurant, grain elevator, and more.

Presently, there is still a bank and a restaurant. The meat market recently closed, and the hardware store is now a power sports store (though you can probably still buy a few nuts and bolts). There is a grocery/convenience store called Heidi’s Corner, and the grain elevator remains busy.

Not much changes in a small town, and that includes the residents supporting each other and its community’s needs. The Rose Creek Booster Club has been in existence for decades. Their main priority is to support, engage and grow the community.

More commonly known as The Creek Club for over 20 years, they did have a dry spell of activities and a shortage of volunteers about five years ago. 

Hearing the older generations talk about ‘the good old days’ was nothing short of interesting,” said Secretary Heidi Stickle. “Things got quieter around here, and about that time there were three of us that collaborated and decided let’s do this (reorganize).” 

The three of them worked really hard to get word out that the group was reorganizing again. In November of 2019 they held their first meeting, and quickly put together a Santa visit for kids and their families, that was very well received. That cleared the way for more events, and in February of 2020 they held a Paint the Town Pink event which benefited The Hormel Institute in Austin.

“That was right before COVID, (and) that dampened our mood (like everyone else’s),” Stickle said. “But we had two events under our belt and we were excited to continue.”

Since that time there has been quite a few other events including Painting in the Park, Spooktacular at Halloween, Spring Around Rose Creek which was a family oriented BINGO scavenger hunt, Bean Bags & Breakfast. And a Parade and Car Show have returned in conjunction with Rose Creek Fun Days, which takes place in July.

Fun Days has been described as a Little Big Town celebration. There are kick ball, pickle ball and softball tourneys, firemen water fights, kiddie carnival, bingo, concessions and live entertainment.

The latest endeavor the Creek Club is supporting is the first-ever Rose Creek Farmers Market. It takes place on Main Street every Tuesday, from 5-6:30 p.m. now through Oct. 24. You will find everything from fresh baked goods, home grown vegetables, local honey, jewelry, woodworking and more.

Co-organizers of the farmers market, Stickle and Patty Conradt, had been talking about having one for awhile. 

“We figured we would have nothing to lose, and everything to gain,” Conradt said. 

Both women are avid gardeners and their husbands share their hobby. “Immaculate” is how Stickle describes Conradt’s garden, and Conradt shares that it’s is her therapy space.

Both couples usually have an abundance of homegrown produce during the growing season and sight that as one of the reasons they wanted to start the Farmers Market.

Another reason is that they have been to other markets, including Austin, but there really wasn’t any in smaller towns in the area.

It was too late in the season last year to get anything organized but they decided that 2023 was going to be the year. They talked to the Rose Creek city council about being able to block off Main Street to traffic. It was approved and the council is very supportive of their efforts.

The first week of the market saw many customers gathering before it opened. There were five vendors participating including Heidi’s Corner (starter plants, produce and canned goods), The Crafty Locker (Conradt’s offerings of baked goods and produce), Small Town Outdoor (crafts, woodworking, and plants), Art with Audrey (jewelry, coasters, painting party’s), Rose Creek Honey, and Tammi’s Flowers (flowers, jams and jellies).

There is room to grow, and the organizers hope that it will. They would welcome vendors from outside the community. The cost is $10 per night or $65 for the season.

Any funds collected from vendors will benefit The Creek Club. Stickle is looking forward to the market becoming another place and time for Rose Creek residents to come together and enjoy seeing family and friends again.

For more information on the Rose Creek Farmers Market visit: Rose Creek Farmers Market: rcfarmersmarket@outlook.com. Or call Heidi Stickle at 507-437-1413 or 507-438-3697 and Patty Conradt 507-437-2337.