Minnesota Prairie Roots

Writing and photography by Audrey Kletscher Helbling

Time for a flea market, May Market & garage sales May 16, 2025

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Vendors set up and shoppers shop in front of an historic church and school at the 2024 RCHS Spring Flea Market. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo May 2024)

TIS THE SEASON of sales for anyone who appreciates used and local handcrafted and homemade goods. That would be me.

The seasonal-themed paint-by-number paintings I regret not buying at a past RCHS Flea Market. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo 2022)

Saturday brings a flood of such sales to my area beginning with the Rice County Historical Society Annual Spring Flea Market from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. at the RCHS in Faribault. I’ve attended this spring and fall event often, both as a shopper and a photographer. Well, and also as a place to connect with others. From antiques and collectibles to glassware, handcrafted goods and more, the offerings are varied and many, as are those who attend. I love catching up here with people I haven’t seen in a while.

Flea market merch, old Minnesota polka albums. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

Over in the much smaller community of Nerstrand to the east of Faribault, the town is hosting city-wide garage sales, also from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday. I’ve never been to yard sales in Nerstrand. But this Saturday may be a good time to start. Among those vending used goods are two churches. St. John’s United Church of Christ, Wheeling Township, will be selling at the city park pavilion. And Nerstrand United Methodist Church hosts its sale at the church, offering household items, clothing, vintage goods and more.

This sign marks a much-loved small town meat market. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

That “more” includes food—donuts, rolls, beverages and Nerstrand weiners. The weiners, which I suppose you could say are “famous,” come from Nerstrand Meats & Catering. The meat market has crafted old-fashioned wood-smoked meats since 1890. Unfortunately, the market will be closed during the city-wide garage sales, likely to the dismay of my husband (who loves Nerstrand weiners; there’s a package in our fridge right now) and many others. But the butcher shop and its next door eatery, Boots and Lu’s Cafe, are temporarily closed for good reason. They are renovating and expanding with reopening set for early June.

In the meantime, Nerstrand Meats meats are available at their Lakeville storefront (didn’t previously know they had one) and in area grocery stores.

Artist Jordyn Brennan painted this mural on WildWood of Nerstrand. There’s a green space on this side of the event center/gathering place. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2024)

A few doors down from the meat shop, WildWood of Nerstrand will host a May Market from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday inside and out its event center, easily-identified by a beautiful sprawling floral mural. Simply reading through the lengthy list of local crafters, artists, bakers and growers is enough to get me interested in attending. Here’s a sampling of those creative business names: The Dancing Baker Co., Papa Bear Bar-B-Que, Rustic Woods by Gavinn, Cookie Cruiser, Plants Need Sunshine, Grumpy Dwarf Iron & Fine Leather, and Happy HomeSteader. See what I mean?

WildWood is located in a renovated historic building in Nerstrand. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo October 2024)

Besides all those handcrafted goods and homemade foods offered at the May Market, attendees can also enjoy outdoor music and treats. This event is about much more than local sales. It’s also about bringing people together, about connecting, about building and celebrating community.

One of two hardware stores in small town Waterville. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2024)

Over in Waterville to the west of Faribault and in Lakeville to the north in the south metro, you will find more city-wide garage sales on Saturday. Tis the season when garage doors rise to a treasure-trove of goods, when driveways crowd with tables overflowing with excess and unwanted items, when another’s cast-offs may be just what you want or need. Or don’t need.

Shopping at the 2024 RCHS Spring Flea Market. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo May 2024)

Happy shopping, wherever you live!

TELL ME: Do you shop flea markets, garage/yard/rummage sales and/or maker markets? If yes, why? I’d like to hear about your experiences, your finds.

© Copyright 2025 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

My latest art-at-a-bargain find from the Salvation Army August 7, 2011

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My Jose Maria de Servin painting.

WHAT’S YOUR PREFERENCE in art?

Do you shop for mass-produced art at a big box retailer?

Or are you the gallery type, purchasing one-of-a-kind fine art?

Maybe you shop flea markets, rummage sales or thrift stores for hand-crafted or vintage art.

Perhaps you’re artistic enough to create your own art to hang in your home or workplace.

If you know me as well as I expect you may from following Minnesota Prairie Roots, you would rightly guess that I prefer to find one-of-a-kind art at a bargain by shopping second-hand. Notice that I didn’t say bargain art. I said art at a bargain. There’s a difference.

My collection includes original paintings by hobbyist painters, prints by unknown artists, embroidered pieces by someone’s grandma… I’ve purchased most at unbelievably low prices—try 50 cents or $3.

Through the years I’ve even acquired an original Jose Maria de Servin painting and a vintage print of South Dakota artist Harvey Dunn’s  “The Prairie is My Garden” at steal prices. Both times I had no idea what I was purchasing. I simply liked the art.

That’s the thing with me and art. I buy a piece of art not as an investment, but because I like it.

That said, I recently picked up a three-dimensional rendition of  “The Last Supper” at the Salvation Army Store in Faribault. I debated whether I should pay $14 for the made-in-Spain art. In fact, I set the 24 x 17-inch piece down twice before watching another woman pick up and admire it. At that precise moment I decided I really wanted the unique art. I had to restrain my urge to run over and snatch it up after she set it back on the shelf. I waited until she was well out of grabbing range.

The Last Supper three-dimensional art I bought at The Salvation Army Store.

Later, the woman stood behind me in the check-out line and told me how she wished she had “The Last Supper” I clenched in my hands. “Then I saw you pick it up,” she said.

I responded with a seemingly casual remark: “Yeah, if you see something you think you might buy, you shouldn’t set it down…”

HOW ABOUT YOU? Where do you shop for art and what deals have you found?

Close up with Christ and the disciples at The Last Supper.

I hung the three-dimensional The Last Supper in my dining room.

© Copyright 2011 Audrey Kletscher Helbling