Otisco Valley Growers sells hot food at market

Lifelong Waseca County resident Tom Klug recently started selling not only his frozen meat at the Waseca farmers market at the fairgrounds, but also breakfast sandwiches. Saturday, Aug. 30, he was selling under grey skies, cooler temperatures and a slight threat of rain.

 

His sales area required two awnings side by side to cover and included, two tables and two separate grills, one a standard, back yard grill, the other more like a kitchen skillet. On that skillet was what looked like an old-fashioned muffin tin, but it was used for cooking individual eggs. Nearby were pre-cooked pork sausage patties. Said Klug, “These are Geneva seasoned pork patties, just plain though, I don’t have any of the maple.”

 

Emily Noonan walked up pulling a little wagon, her son Ciaran was timidly trailing close behind. She placed an order for one breakfast sandwich and Klug got to work. He piled the meat, egg and a slice of Bomgaars American cheese on a bun and handed it over to Noonan who found a quiet picnic table to sit and enjoy. Asked after a few bites how she liked it, her reply was, “This is really good, I definitely recommend the bread. Ten out of ten. I will for sure be getting one of these again.” She gave Klug a thumbs-up sign; he accepted with a nod.

 

Klug shared he gets the bread from Nancy Jane’s Bakery out of New Richland. It’s called and spelled, Focaccia Bread, “fo-caw-che-awe.” Klug has set up his sales station at the Mankato farmers market since around 2000, his niece Kaitlen Klug is now selling over there which leaves him time to cover the Waseca market. “Over in Mankato we needed two people manning my stand to keep up. Every market day, we averaged 220 sandwiches, sometimes more. I’m still new to the Waseca Farmers Market so we’ll see how it compares.”

 

Klug also sells forage-fed frozen meats which are free from hormones or antibiotics. His per-pound prices include sirloin steak at $10; T-bone for $13; New York strip and prime rib at $19; and tenderloin at $25. His chuck and arm roasts sell at a per-pound price of $8; boneless at $8.50; sirloin tip for $9. Ground burger is $7 a pound. Grandpa Jonny’s German recipe ring bologna is $8 a pound. 

 

Said Klug, “All our meat is obtained from a single source and we use Odenthal Meats for processing because they’re totally reliable and they’re able to dry age over there. I also sell in quarters and halves, whatever you need.”

 

Interested individuals can call Tom of Otisco Valley Growers at 507-521-2466 to order or discuss delivery or pick-up options. The company is located south of Waseca.