Iron County Farmers Market celebrates 25 years at Pavilion

KIMBALL, Wis. - The Iron County Farmers Market was especially crowded Saturday as the market dedicated a new sign commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Lucy Luoma Hantala Pavilion, the market's home.

Located at the corner of 10th Avenue and U.S. 51, the pavilion is named after Lucy Luoma Hantala, a former teacher of one of the market's founding fathers, John Sola and a supporter of the effort to build the pavilion.

"The market had applied for a grant to construct the new pavilion, but the grant was denied," said market board Chairman Bruce Dalman during the dedication. "Rather than give up on their dream, Jon Sola took to the streets ... asking for donations to pay for the pavilion. There was strong community support and people gave as little as $4, up to the largest donation by Lucy of $6,500 after reading in the local paper what (Sola) was doing for his community."

The sign - which was built by David Suutala, of Kimball - displays the Iron County Farmers Market logo surrounded by a timber frame structure.

Iron County Board Chairman Joe Pinardi praised the pavilion and the 37 years the market has provided goods to county residents.

"It's a real asset to the community after 37 years ... and I hope everyone came and picked up some fresh vegetables as long as they were here," Pinardi told the Daily Globe. "It's good to see a lot of the families that (started the market) come together for this occasion."

After the ceremony, Dalman said the celebration was part of the effort by the market board to rejuvenate the market.

"As a board ... we made a decision at our first meeting that it was going to be all or nothing this year. Either we bring it back from (a) slow death, and we get more vendors so we get more people, or we would die trying," Dalman told the Daily Globe, adding some days last year, the market would only have five vendors.

One of the ways the board has increased market attendance is by offering special events, such as the anniversary commemoration, Dalman said.

"It's a cycle, the more vendors you have the more people you have. The more people you have the more vendors you have," he explained.

Dalman said, while the market season isn't over, he is pleased with the attendance and number of vendors at this year's markets.

"I think we accomplished that. One of our goals was to bring it back to life," Dalman said. "The vendors that are here all agree that we've done a good thing because everyone's sales have increased. The more people you get in, the more sales you get in."