On a sunny afternoon in July, the Lake City Farmers Market is in full swing. It’s a tiny market. Today there are only five vendors.
Jackilyn Gleason has her portable farm stand open for business. She grows in Gunnison County, about 20 miles outside of Lake City.
“I have lots of greens," she said. "I have Swiss chard, all the greens because it grows so well out there. I have lots of radishes and all the herbs like basil, tarragon."
Gleason also sells flowers, eggs, bread, beauty products, and other homemade goods. She grew up in northern Wisconsin where her mother and grandmother taught her about gardening and self-sufficient living.
“We always had a garden,” she said. “We grew up pretty poor so we just had a garden so we could have fresh produce and food in the winter. We did a lot of canning and just homesteading. I guess I’m just the O.G. homesteader. I’ve always done it. I mean it’s always fun to plant a seed and watch things grow.”
Gleason is also an elementary school teacher at the Lake City Community School.
“I don’t use any herbicides or pesticides,” she said. “I do fertilize with worm castings. In fact, we had the worms in the classroom this year. The kids learned about composting and feeding worms. So the kids knew I had my stand.”
Just after school got out for the summer, a student asked to sell homemade earrings next to Gleason at the farmers market. She obliged and then more kids wanted to sell their products.
“Then there was another kid who wanted to and another kid,” she said. “I thought “well you guys just need to have your own booth.” And I can’t say no to anybody because they’re all cute little human beings.”
That’s how the “Kidspreneur Corner” started.
Gleason said the students are responsible for paying the $10 weekly booth fee, and products must be homemade or upcycled.
“I think there's a few things that are being repurposed but I still think that's kind of clever also," she said. "It’s not something they bought off of Temu and mass selling.”
Today there are five students selling everything from painted rocks to baked goods to jewelry.
Judah Pankratz, a soon to be fifth grader, is selling bracelets he made from paracord.
“I like the colors and I like the different designs we have,” he said.
Pankratz said he sold more than 30 bracelets this summer and made a profit.
“I know I've made at least $200 but some of that money goes to buying new materials, new buckles, and more cord," he said.
Chadleigh Hutchins, a soon to be sixth grader, sells jewelry and crochet items she makes.
“I’m learning how to make money and to save,” Hutchins said.
Gleason said having the kids corner at the farmers market this summer allows them to continue learning when school is out.
“I think there are a lot of math skills, marketing, cooperation, collaboration, responsibility, working with people they don’t know, [and] communication,” she said.
Next summer, Gleason said she plans to have the students back with her at the farmers market. She’s looking forward to seeing what new products they come up with to sell.
