Brighten your weekend by heading to Cannon Falls on Saturday, Feb. 20, to catch Ferndale Market’s Local Artisan Cheese Day. Between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., check out Ferndale’s broad selection of local cheeses. Want a bite of a creamy Gouda or tangy Asiago? Maybe an aged cheddar? Taste and learn about several handmade cheeses from Eichten’s Hidden Acres (Center City, Minn.), Metz Hart-Land Dairy (Lewiston, Minn.), Sartori Cheese (Plymouth, Wis.), and Widmer’s Cheese Cellars, (Theresa, Wis., pictured below).
Samples of Brick Oven Bakery breads, made in Northfield, will be offered, too, along with Hope Butter from Hope, Minn. (Ferndale Market receives fresh — sometimes still warm — Brick Oven Bakery loaves as well as bagels from St. Paul Bagelry every Friday, for its Fresh Friday feature.) While you’re at Cheese Day, enjoy music by the folksy duo of Brenda Owens and Lee Mensinger.
The seven-year-old Ferndale Market features plenty of ideal cheese go-withs for locavores: meats, crackers and spreads, and chocolates, to name a few. All told, Ferndale, located on a family-owned third-generation farm, offers the products of more than 75 local food producers!
Now in their third generation of growing free-range turkeys, the Peterson family of Ferndale Market feels blessed to work and live in an area surrounded by many artisanal food growers and producers. “All through the years, we’ve grown our turkeys with care in the way my grandpa (Dale Peterson) did. We appreciate others dedicated to raising or making unique, high quality foods and have a lot in common with our food partners. The coolers and shelves at Ferndale Market display their products, carefully chosen for our customers,” said manager John Peterson.
When you’re done at Ferndale, head to the charming, one-stoplight downtown to taste some award-winning local wine at Cannon River Winery, 421 Mill St W.
Just to the east, at 331 Mill Street W, across Fourth Street, is Nick’s Downtown Diner, a good spot for a bite to eat to complete a day of local food and drink in scenic Cannon Falls.
