Vendor show includes rockhounds, seamstress, woodworkers and more

During another installment of the St. Olaf multiple vendor show on Saturday, May 10, four vendors presented an array of wares at 9633 128th St. SW New Richland. 

Husband and wife team the “Agate Couple,” who advertise they’ve been, “Rockhounds since 2017” showed a variety of Montana and Lake Superior agates and petrified wood. Said Hillary Kruger, “This is my first show this spring. Next week my husband and I are headed up to Duluth to go [rock] hunting again.” On her table were mounds of rocks, all cleaned up and ready to go. A unique style design was to put multiple same-colored rocks into a sealed jar.

Crafter Connie Otto beamed that she had just learned to sew. She had handmade cards and crafts. “But this is just a fun side job I love to do as much as I can. I also hope to start selling my wares at both Farmers Markets in Mankato and North Mankato.”

Dawn Raatz brought in her former horse trailer, now cleaned and dressed up to sell her pictures of animals and the American flag. She was with Darren Wagner and his daughter Maddie. Darren had on hand some of his refinished tables, sanded down and burned, then refinished to create a clean, rustic look. He also had light poles and lots of handcrafted wood items like flower boxes or Christian crosses. One very interesting item Darren boasted was an old munitions box he acquired from his father. In very good condition, it was a relic from the Korean War and had 11-1953 as the year stamp. He mentioned it is commonly thought that cedar wood is pretty good at keeping the bugs away, but, “There must be something wrong with the mosquitos in Minnesota because no one told them about it.”