10 Photos From The St. Thomas More Farmers Market

SAINT PAUL, MN — Minnesota's long winter wasn't kind to farmers. April's massive, historic snowstorm significantly cut into this year's growing season.

That's all in the past now as the state's outdoor farmers market season kicks off.

For the Summit Hill neighborhood, that means a nondescript parking lot behind St. Thomas More is transformed every Friday into a hotspot for local foods and specialties, thanks to the St. Paul Growers Association.

Depending on the month, shoppers will find fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, honey, potted plants, and flowers. Pumpkins are sold in the fall ahead of jack-o-lantern and soup season.

Most of the vendors are family-run operations.

"My father was one of the original starters of this market," Rose Piekarski of Inver Grove Heights-based PPK Acres told Patch. Piekarski says she's been farming her whole life. "I don't know anything else," she joked.

The St. Thomas More farmers market is open from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. every Friday, weather permitting, and is free and open to the public. Parking is also free.

The lot is located at 1079 Summit Ave behind the church.

Photos by William Bornhoft/Patch.com