It's not goodbye, it's see you later.
No, really.
After nine successful years at Misty Gardens nursery, the Carlton Trail Farmers Market is making a big move, right into downtown Humboldt.
Starting Dec. 7, the beloved market will be run out of the local seniors hall every Saturday.
"We're so excited," said Marguerite Cunningham, president of the Humboldt Seniors Club. "It's a nice partnership for everyone."
The Carlton Trail Farmers Market was established nearly a decade ago by a group of residents, including current vendors Ellie Gerwing, Jerome Rath and Heather Crone; Heather's husband, Wes, is the president of the market.
Open year-round, they sell produce, jams, jellies and pickled items throughout the spring and summer and crafts once colder weather sets in.
But they're different from other farmers markets and especially craft fairs; everything sold is homemade, grown or crafted right from the hands of the vendors you see.
"Our motto is 'Homemade, home-baked, home-grown,'" said Heather Crone.
"To be a vendor in our market, everything has to be authentically yours," she added. "It has to be baked, made or grown in Saskatchewan, and the vendor can't have a commercial store."
Products must be produced on an individual basis with no wholesalers or commercial producers.
That's probably what is so endearing about the market.
"We're a very popular destination on the weekends," Crone said. "And we definitely get busier during the Christmas season."
That's why the market will finish off the month of November at its original Misty Gardens location, before permanently moving to the more spacious seniors hall facility in Humboldt, in anticipation of the Christmas rush.
The market will be open on Saturdays in December at the seniors hall on the 7th, 14th and 21st of the month from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. before taking a break for the month of January.
"Business is always slower in January," Crone said, with Cunningham adding, half-jokingly, "That's because everyone is broke after Christmas," to which Crone laughed and nodded.
"That's probably true."
The market will re-open Feb. 8 at the hall and will run every second Saturday until the end of June. It will then switch back to its regular schedule of every Saturday.
To ensure their fruit's peak freshness, the market opens an hour early in the summer, running from 9 a.m. until noon.
"It's always better to get the fruit out to sell right in the morning, when that freshness is locked in," Crone said.
The market's move comes on the heels of what many perceive as a problem in Humboldt: businesses picking up and moving westward, leaving fewer activities to do in the downtown core.
"The problem with the market being located down the highway at Misty Gardens is that seniors, the disabled and those who can't drive weren't able to make it down," Cunningham said.
"Now the market will be in walking distance, so it'll give more people something to do on the weekend," she added.
Crone agreed.
"I think we'll see an increase in business since more people will be able to make it out."
And as for Misty Gardens, they don't feel slighted in the least.
"They were very happy for us," Crone said. "They think it's a great move and will be good attention for the seniors hall."
But she was quick to point out how generous the nursery has been to the farmers market for the past nine years.
"They were just fantastic to us," Crone said. "Every weekend, no matter how busy they were, they'd work hard to make room for us and to accommodate the market."
"We honestly can't thank [Paul and Diana Kneeshaw, the owners] enough," Crone said.
The Carlton Trail Farmers Market encourages new vendors to join them with their homemade products; for more information or to become a vendor, contact Heather and Wes Crone at 306-366-2140.
