Last night at the Northfield City Council meeting, the council approved a license agreement with the Riverwalk Market Fair, for
use of the former Northfield News Building, to hold a winter version of the extremely popular Saturday morning market.
April Kopack, the manager of Riverwalk Market Fair, said the popularity of the market moved the board to look for options during the cold weather months. The city purchased the Northfield News building last summer, and the empty space made it a logical option for relocation.
Kopack said the building has been measured out, and it can accommodate up to 27 vendors at a time. There are about 40 vendors interested in participating, she said, so now it comes down to scheduling.
The council agreed unanimously to the license. Councilor Jessica Peterson White thanked Kopack and the board members who were present for the way Riverwalk Market Fair has energized Downtown Northfield on Saturdays.
The Riverwalk Winter Market will run from 10am-2pm Saturdays beginning November 5th, and running through December 17th, including a special market on December 8th for Winter Walk. Beginning in January, the market will run the first Saturday of every month through April.
County offers more voting information
As election day approaches in less than three weeks now, Rice County has issued another statement reminding people how and where 
to vote.
Those who want to vote absentee can do so by filling out an application for an absentee ballot at the Minnesota Secretary of State website. Once the request is received, one will be mailed to the requesting voter. Completed ballots must be received either by mail on Election Day or delivered to the Rice County Property Tax and Elections Office by 3pm on Election Day.
Early voting can be done in person at the Rice County Property Tax and Elections Office or at Northfield City Hall through November 7th. The Rice County Property Tax and Elections Office is open from 8am – 4:30pm. weekdays through Friday, Nov. 4. The office will also be open for voting from 10am – 3pm on Saturday, Nov. 5 and from 8am – 5pm on Monday, November 7th.
In Northfield voting is open from 8am – 4:15pm Monday through Thursday, and from 8-11:45 am on Fridays through Nov. 4. The office will be open from 10am – 3pm on Saturday, November 5th, but voters must be in line by 2:45. On Monday, November 7th, voting will be open from 8am – 5pm, but voters must be in line by 4:45 in order to cast their vote.
The 2022 elections are the first in the newly drawn districts, which were changed following the 2020 Census. Minnesota’s current Congressional and Legislative maps can be found at the Minnesota Secretary of State’s website. A map depicting the Rice County commissioners’ districts can be found on the Rice County website. A map of Northfield’s precincts can be found on the Northfield city website.
Voters who are not registered, who registered after October 18th, or who moved since they last voted and didn’t change their address by October 18th must vote in person on Election Day. Certain documents are required to register and vote on Election Day. That information can also be found on the Minnesota Secretary of State’s website.
Tha website has additional information about voting as well, including a pollfinder, a search tool voters can use to find out what will be on their ballot and how they can track their completed ballot once it’s been submitted. Click here for the Minnesota Secretary of State website.
Pork producers show their appreciation for community support
The Northfield Raiders will host the Faribault Falcons tonight for the final football game of the regular season. 
Before the two traditional rivals meet, the Rice County Pork Producers and the Dakota-Rice Corn, Soy and Pork Producers will hand out free pork burgers and pork rib sandwiches.
Jeff Schultz, a professor of Farm Business Management at South Central College, and the Secretary of the Dakota Rice Pork Producers said they are doing this to thank the community.
“October is National Pork Month,” he said. “And we’re doing this to show our appreciation to the community for supporting the pork producers.”
Schultz said the idea came to a few of the members of the organization at the end of the Defeat of Jesse James Days. Nate Holden, of Holden Farms liked the idea so much that Holden Farms decided to sponsor the event and are covering the majority of the costs for the sandwiches.
“We’ll be grilling the burgers and serving the sandwiches right there on site,” he said, “and Nate Holden himself will be there working and ready to answer any questions anyone might have about pork production.”
While the sandwiches are free of charge, the organizations will have a pair of milk cans set out to accept donations. One can will be for the Faribault Future Farmers of America program, while the other will support the work done by the Northfield Boosters.
With the harvest in full swing, Schultz said it is a busy time for many of the pork producers who have crops to bring in as well, but he said it’s that rare period of time when farmers are happy not to have much rain.
“Harvest has been going well with this dry weather. You need moisture to recharge the subsoil for next year, but during harvest time this dry weather is kind of a benefit to facilitate a quick and easy and safe harvest. And most of the area has a respectable crop. There’s going to be some areas that were short on rainfall that are going to be challenging, but it’s been a good fall so far.”
The Dakota Rice Corn, Soy and Pork Producers will be serving free sandwiches tonight at Memorial Field from 5-7pm.
Rich Larson is the KYMN News Director. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net
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